Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis
by Kaijo
Summary: One year after Section Six disbanded, Nanoha, Fate, and the rest of the gang discover that their fight continues. Plans started years ago are secretly continued, and will soon bear horrific fruit: a power both old and familiar will challenge them all...
1. Destiny Begins to Move Again

Initial Author's Notes: This is a continuation of sorts, going from the end of the StrikerS anime. For the purposes of this fic, I will be ignoring the Force and Vivid manga storylines, as well as the Sound stages (the latter mainly because I haven't listened to them or seen a transcript). I may, however, incorporate aspect from then as I see fit. If you've watched all 3 anime series, you should be fine. Chapter 1 starts one year after the events of StrikerS.

"[This]" denotes telepathic communication.

[This] is just normal thought.

Xx~~*~~xX

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Prologue (8 years before Strikers)**

Xx~~*~~xX

Lines of almost incomprehensible data scrolled across the screen, to the tune of fingers dancing on musical keys. To the average person, the clickity-click might not have seemed musical; but to the Doctor, it may have been a virtual symphony, complete with a dazzling display of pyrotechnics waltzing across the holographic screens floating in front of him, in the form of data.

Doctor Jail Scaglietti may not have been a proper doctor, though he did posses numerous degrees in Biogenetics and Engineering, among others. He was most home in his labs, recovering the lost secrets of scientific technology. Forbidden, they told him... Magic civilization was the way to go, they said, as non-magical science was much too dangerous.

Too dangerous, indeed.

Behind him, the low rumble of bubbles and humming equipment let him know the incubation chambers were still running. His children would be be born soon, and he could begin to take revenge on all those who had looked down upon him; and the veritable wealth of data he had been provided, had finally allowed him his chance to remake the world in his image.

"I trust that it pleases you," an older feminine voice called out from the shadows.

Jail didn't bother to turn around. "Indeed, this information will help my plans a great deal." As a thought struck him, he paused and swiveled his chair to face the figure in the darkness. "But I must admit I am curious as to why you are giving me this data now."

"Consider it my way of repaying any debt I may owe you," the woman soothed.

"For the research on Project F that I provided you long ago?" the doctor asked, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't think you held many others that high in value."

The woman chortled. "If that is what you think, then it is up to you. I wouldn't think you would complain about what you are given."

"Ha, you have me there, my dear," Jail was forced to admit. "This will speed up my goals by at least ten-fold."

"If you must know more, I can tell you that the accomplishment of your goals will help accomplish mine as well," she offered cryptically. "And if that is all, I will be off. I have my own experiments to attend to."

Jail tapped a few keys on his translucent keyboard, and a large picture appeared flickered into existence. It was a still frame of a young woman with golden-blond hair in twin ponytails, wielding a black staff weapon, complete with an magical energy scythe at the tip.

"So you don't care what plans I may have for this one?" Jail teased, watching for a reaction.

The woman let loose a stronger laugh, echoing throughout the chamber. "By all means, if you can use her, be my guest. She has no more use to me."

Jail nodded in appreciation, watching as the woman formed her magic circle and teleported, then grinned and turned back to the screen. "Yes, I have great plans for you."

He lay back and stretched, staring at the ceiling. "And I wonder, just what plans you are concocting, my dear Precia?"

Xx~~*~~xX

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 1: Destiny Begins to Move Again**

Xx~~*~~xX

"...and we all miss you very much," Momoko Takamachi was saying, speaking from the recorded video letter Nanoha was watching on a floating screen as she headed to her next training session. "Your brother and sister couldn't be here due to an assignment, but they wanted me to let you know they are looking forward to seeing you again next time you visit. We're all proud of you and what you've accomplished, and we'll continue to support you as best as we can. Talk to you again soon!"

The letter froze on her mother's face, sitting on the couch next to her father, and Nanoha Takamachi couldn't help but smile. She couldn't ask for more supportive parents, which made her feel a bit guilty for not telling them about her daughter yet; she wondered how they'd react to Vivio, the circumstances of her birth, and what she had been through.

Nanoha sighed and mentally made a note to schedule another visit soon, and this time bring Vivio with her. She'd have to face the music sometime. Logically, she told her self that her parents would be supportive and happy to see Vivio, so why couldn't she suppress the worry she felt?

Pushing those thoughts aside for now, the Ace combat instructor refocused her mind to the coming task; teaching a basic magic training course to a bunch of newbies. She would have rather taught some more advanced courses, but Shamal had been adamantly against it, and everyone else had backed up the Belkan doctor. Nanoha's body hadn't fully recovered from the fight in the cradle and Shamal had told her that her magic power was down 8-10%, and may or may not recover. She was ordered to take it easy, even now, one year after the JS incident.

The basic instruction course was essentially the compromise that allowed her to still do what she loved, teach, but just at an easy beginner level for awhile. It was one of the pitfalls of being an older mage; the TSAB tended to recruit young, because the magic of children recovered faster and easier. As a mage aged, that recovery slowed down.

She half-smiled. "Well, time to greet the new recruits, eh Raging Heart?"

"Yes, my master," the device replied. Despite what the eggheads in the tech division might say about it being just an AI, Nanoha knew that it had a heart as much as any other living being. "You can do it!"

Coming to a stop at a closed door, Nanoha whispered a 'Thank you' to her device, then activated the automatic portal and stepped inside.

A motley crew of mixed genders and ages awaited her within, conversation filling the room from people arranged in random-sized groups. According to the attendance chart she had briefly looked at earlier, about 30 people had signed up, though to her eye it seemed like there might have been a few more than that. The various conversations taking place gradually died out as Nanoha walked in and up the couple of steps to the raised podium.

"Greetings to all of you," she began with a smile when the discussions had ceased, "and welcome to the Basic Mage Training Course. I'm Nanoha Takamachi, and I'll be your instructor; you can call me Nanoha. You're here to begin working with your magic, and perhaps to join one of the various services in the Bureau. Or maybe you just to find out what you're made of. There is no requirement to join the Bureau, of course, if you desire to just know how to use your powers better.

She gestured to the side. "To begin, take one of the training staves or spears against the wall, if you do not already have a device of your own. The staves are for Midchildian style magic-users, and the spears are for people who want to do a more modern Belkan melee style. You can switch halfway through the course if you find it's not for you, so don't feel too pressured about which to pick now. Depending on your skills, if you do choose to join the Bureau, we may make a more specialized device for you. Go grab your choice now!"

As the group made it's way over to the wall racks, Nanoha kept scanning the crowd, taking note of the faces and trying to get a general feel for each student. She froze as her eyes eventually locked onto one particular trainee; a short blonde-haired recruit about her own age, who was grinning back. The girl lifted one gloved fist, and pumped it once.

Nanoha, of course, knew who it was in instant: Arisa Bannings.

x~~*~~x

"You still look like you've seen a ghost, Nanoha-chan," Arisa smirked, leaning back in her chair.

The small outdoor cafe where the trio was gathered was one of Nanoha's favorites, due to the selection of drinks and frozen treats. The umbrella in the middle of the circular table shielding them from the bright sun kept the temperature at a pleasant degree when combined with the gentle, yet cool breeze.

"Give her a break, Arisa-chan!" Suzuka chided, setting her drink down. "After all, the entire surprise thing was _your_ idea. Sneaking into the training course at the last moment so she wouldn't know that you'd be there."

Arisa laughed. "Well, it was payback for all those years ago, when she didn't tell us she had magic!"

Nanoha finally blinked and look down, cheeks turning red in embarrassment. "I said I was sorry! I explained that I didn't want to get you two involved, so you wouldn't get hurt." Her face came back up, good humor restored. "And not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you two doing here on Mid-childa!"

"Well, I don't understand it much myself, but apparently we have some latent magical skill," Arisa replied, grinning. "Yuuno told us he felt it awhile ago, and was surprised because he didn't feel it before when he first met us as a ferret. He thinks it's because you have so much more than it hid ours, like the sun blocking out two light bulbs. Either that, or somehow your magic power leaked out and activated our core-thingys. Suzuka understands it better."

The purple-haired girl's smile belonged to one who was only too eager to impart her wisdom. "Arisa-chan has it mostly right. Our linker cores were probably like most humans on Earth: inactive. But because we spent so much time around you, Yuuno thought yours might have ignited ours, like one match lighting another. We don't have as much as you, though. Mine is limited to analyzing the composition of physical objects, while Arisa uses hers to amplify her speed and power in her martial arts."

Nanoha had, of course, read their files the instant the course had ended, after parting from Arisa and agreeing to meet up here. Apparently, Suzuka was apprenticing under Shari in the technical division, which made it a good fit since the purple-haired girl had always loved machines. Her magic skill was a bit more that simple analysis, but also remote activation to devices she had synced with earlier. She was almost a living microscope with a built-in remote control.

As for Arisa, Nanoha had known she had been taking martial arts for a long time, apparently having started not long after learning about the magical world on that Christmas after the Book of Darkness incident. While her magic gave her some good agility and strength, she also appeared to have somewhat of an affinity for earth-based magics, though it might not advance to the point of stronger spells. Her martial arts training was mostly limited to Karate and Tae-Kwon-Do, but it noted she had picked up a few other things from other styles here and there. Both of her friends were D rank at the moment, and the initial judgment was that neither would probably go higher than C or C+.

"You're here just to train your magic?" Nanoha asked, taking a sip of her drink, then added wryly, "And surprise me, of course."

Suzuka shook her head. "More than that. Apparently Earth is getting close to the point where the TSAB will make official contact, in the hopes of having it join as an administered world. It's technology is approaching a certain level. I don't quite understand it myself, but the TSAB worries about worlds that focus on pure technology, so at a certain point, they try to guide them toward magical civilization instead."

"Which brings me into it," Arisa continued, taking over for Suzuka. "As you know, my family owns a large technology company, and I'm officially a manager in it. Unofficially, I'm a representative and facilitator between my company and the Bureau. I help bring in new magical technologies. Unofficially, there has also been several other points of contact between the TSAB and Earth. Companies are offered the ability to produce magic technology in order to pressure governments into accepting administrated world status. A carrot approach, if you will." She stopped and smiled evilly. "I'm also here to report on the Bureau's training and recruitment practices, which means I'll be watching and studying you!"

Nanoha sweat-dropped. "Well, I hope I meet your approval..."

"Will we be able to meet up with Fate and Hayate?" Suzuka asked suddenly, changing the subject. "I was looking forward to surprising them, too. Other than you, Yuuno, and a few other officials, no one else knows we're here."

"Well, Fate is on assignment at the moment, and Hayate is currently busy in an army investigations unit," Nanoha explained, then thought quickly. "However, Fate's birthday is coming up in three weeks or so. How about we surprise her there, with a party at my house?"

Both girls eagerly agreed.

"Oh!" Susuka exclaimed suddenly. "We almost forgot the most important part!"

The pony-tailed girl raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"

Arisa and Suzuka both stood up, each taking one of Nanoha's hands, and then said together: "You have show us around!"

Nanoha sighed as the two girls dragged her away.

x~~*~~x

"[In position,]" Teana Lanster telepathically communicated to her partner late that night from where she knelt on a large stack of crates.

"[Roger,]" Fate Testerossa Harlaown replied. "[Remember the plan; I'll go in first to get their attention while you cover the back as you move up to support. The other Enforcers have the area encircled.]"

"[Acknowledged,]" the eager gun mage replied.

It almost didn't need to be said, as it had been their standard battle tactic for awhile now. Fate would use her speed and superior firepower to draw attention, and Tea would come in behind and take them out while their attention was diverted.

"Cross Mirage, scope mode," she spoke quietly.

"Scope mode activation," the device responded, form the telescope on top of her gun.

Looking through it, Tea could easily make out the warehouse, eventually settling on one of the lighted windows. The two agents had been tracking an illegal weapons and lost logia smuggling operation for a couple of weeks now now, and the results of that investigation finally led to this particular warehouse on the docks; and now was the time to strike. Switching detection modes to thermal, several distinctive red spots formed out of the greens and blues, easily letting her see the body heat of several individuals through the walls; there were approximately 20-30 in all, although one seemed to be much hotter than the rest. She was unable to ponder this further, however, as Fate let it be known that she was making her move.

Teana counted to five as Fate assaulted the entrance on the other side, then jumped down, heading for the warehouse, forming her second gun. Just as they expected, the large doors wedged open slightly and individuals began to escape from Fate's frontal assaultattack. With practiced ease, the gun mage began squeezing off practiced stun shots. The suspects tried to run and duck once they realized they were being fired upon, but they may as well have been standing still and holding bright neon bulls-eyes, to Teana's practiced sharpshooter eyes.

Eventually, the deluge of targets from the warehouse door dried up as the warehouse emptied. The rest were on the ground, knocked out, but they would be picked up by the waiting enforcer squad before they awoke. Cross Mirage informed her that she had only tagged about 15 individuals, which meant more were still inside.

Teana quickly made her way to the entrance, her back to the door just next to the crack. Taking a breath, she dove in and rolled, coming up to one knee with both guns spread out. Two men were hiding in a corner, staring at her in shock, but before they could run the gun mage had them both out cold with stun bullets. Confirming that the immediate area was devoid of additional personnel, the junior agent made her way farther inside, following the large row of crates.

"[Teana?]" came Fate's voice in her head. "[I'm dealing with a golem unit and a fire mage. I could use some backup.]"

"[I'm inside, almost there,]" Tea replied as she sprinted to the end of a row of crates, homing in on Fate's magic signal and the noise of of combat as it reverberated off the warehouse walls.

She knew Fate was in no real danger; if the skilled agent went all out they wouldn't stand a chance. But they wanted these people alive for questioning, and in her own way, Fate was arranging another opportunity for the junior agent to step up and get some more experience and on-the-job training.

The gun mage turned the corner and immediately spied her mentor and partner flying around high above, dodging the fireballs and the magic beam weaponry from the golem. It was the first time Tea had seen one live, outside of a few classified reports. Five meters high, it was essentially a magic-powered and armored suit, loaded with magic weaponry designed to augment a lower ranked mage's combat abilities. From what she had read of the research, it was one of the options being tested as a way to reinforce the front line mages as well as develop some countermeasures against AMF-equipped forces.

But why did these smugglers have a supposedly top secret prototype?

Teana put that thought aside for now, and took aim at the fire mage who was keeping Fate away with walls of fire and fireballs. Already, quite a bit of the warehouse was ablaze, and if she didn't take him out, the whole place would go down and all the evidence with it.

However, he either saw her or sensed her presence, because he turned around to look straight at her, grinning maliciously. Before Teana could fire, his flaming fists sent fireballs her direction. The gun mage sprinted sideways, changing ammo on the fly and firing, using explosive vacuum shots to dissipate the fireballs in midair. They traded a few volleys, seemingly evenly matched in firepower, but Teana had more training and experience. She found her opening, firing a stun bullet into the air that ricocheted off a crane hanging from the ceiling and striking the fire mage in the back of the head.

As Tea came to her feet, she saw Fate dive in sonic form and slash the legs of the golem with Bardiche's scythe form. Internal control wires severed, the golem began to tip over backwards. The pilot apparently panicked, as he opened the rear hatch to escape. Fate was there in an instant, holding it up so he wouldn't get squashed by his own unit. He got a nice lightning bind spell instead as he fell out and landed on the ground.

"Teana, behind you, stop him!" Fate called out suddenly.

The junior agent spun and spied another figure running up a set of metal stairs to a second story office section. Gathering her magic, Tea pointed her guns straight down and fired, using her flare shots as a booster to soar through the air and land on the steel platform in front of the office door. While she was still working on learning to fly, she had substituted a few workarounds like her gun-boosted leap; it used more magic than her grapple, but was also faster.

In one quick motion, Tea duplicated her earlier move and rolled through the office door coming up on one knee, guns covering the entire small and sparse office. The only things inside were a single file cabinet and couple of desks with computers, the skinny man with glasses standing behind one, hands up and clearly afraid.

"You are under arrest on suspicion of illegal smuggling of weapons and lost logia," Tea recited the rote arrest speech. "If you surrender you will be able to defend yourself in court. Disarm if you agree!"

"I'm not armed!" the suspect pleaded quickly. "I surrender! I surrender!"

Something didn't feel quite right to the junior agent, however; despite having just been caught, the man appeared far too nervous. Then she noted his eyes occasionally glance down at the computer, an older hardware model that could only be seen from one side.

"Crap!" Teana cursed as she leapt the desk delivering a chop to the back of the mans head that dropped him, while converting her guns back to card form. Her fears were confirmed.

"Cross Mirage, interface and abort deletion of files!" she commanded urgently, placing her device card on top of the computer.

"Yes, sir!" came the chipper response. "Interfacing... deletion canceled. Approximately 27% of data recovered."

Teana sighed. [Great job, Agent Lanster!] she told herself sarcastically. [Your hesitation could have cost us a lead.]

The door opened and Fate came in, and the fact that Bardiche had been returned to storage form on the back of Fate's hand, told Teana that the situation outside must have been under control, although mentor's next words confirmed it.

"The Enforcer squad is taking care of the cleanup," the senior agent informed her. "A couple escaped through a teleporter, but the coordinates of their destination were erased. What have you got here?"

"Sorry, I messed up," the junior agent replied glumly, gesturing towards the computer. "Most of the data was erased; we only got about a quarter of it."

Fate placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You did good enough; you still expect too much of yourself sometimes. I let a couple escape through a teleporter as well. Humans aren't perfect!"

Cross Mirage beeped. "Important data discovered."

Both agents looked up as Cross Mirage projected a holographic screen that was scrolling through seemingly random data. To Teana, they appeared to be bits of communication logs, but eventually Cross Mirage stopped at a name, causing both women to inhale sharply.

Jail Scaglietti.

x~~*~~x

Yuuno stood up and adjusted his pack, taking in the vista that greeted him.

He was on an almost uninhabited world, full of nature's beauty in the form of rolling forests, snowy mountains and expansive oceans and deserts. It was these kinds of worlds that he loved most, since not only did he love nature, but also because they held the best chance at hiding unknown ancient secrets, just waiting for an experienced archeologist to uncover.

He wasn't totally alone here, though; the main Scrya group was several kilometers away, which was just fine with him. The Scrya tribe was highly independent, and thus members would often disappear for random periods of time to search for artifacts and ruins, but teaming up for larger projects when something was uncovered. While he ran the Infinity Library, he still looked forward to going out on digs with his tribe, especially when their travels brought him to an area he had wanted to investigate for awhile.

He about to follow up on an earlier expedition that his tribe done done preliminary observations of last month: the ruins to his side. It wasn't much, seeing as how only the barest foundations some stone pillars and buildings were left; but if he was right, this was just the edge of the discovery. He figured the nearby mountain had once been a volcano and an eruption had covered the entire valley in molten lava. Over the years, it gradually became a series of ravines with a river running through it, which had slowly cut away the rock until it exposed part of this ancient village.

If his educated guess was accurate, there was more here than just that, however.

Yuuno took to the sky, surveying the area. If this was the edge of the city, then the center would have to be somewhere around the foothills of the extinct volcano; and it didn't take to long to find what he was looking for, gently descending into the ravine to take a closer look. A stream burst out of the canyon wall and flowed down the deep trench, passing into the forest beyond where it would eventually make its way to the ocean. But it was this point, where the water emerged from the rock, that he was most interested in.

Streams and rivers usually came from glaciers, but the nearest snow-capped mountains were kilometers away. As an archeologist, he knew most cities were built near water, which meant the city center had to have a connection with this stream, if it was here. Floating down to where it burst from the wall, he felt the entrance was just big enough for him to get inside and do some exploring.

Only he didn't get the chance.

Sensing the buildup of the attack just in time, Yuuno put up a Round Shield to block the enormous beam. Still, the sheer force pushed him backwards and left him breathing hard as the attack ended.

"Who are you?" he called out to the darkness. "Why did you attack me?"

The only response he received was another beam, and this time Yuuno angled his shield to deflect part of it, but while he was doing that, several smaller shots came at him from almost behind him. He put up another shield with his other hand, but he was pinned on two sides, but he knew this wasn't good; unknown attackers had him surrounded.

Acting quickly, Yuuno dove to the ravine floor, hoping to either escape from his unknown assailants or to draw them into a trap, almost wishing that he had more offensive combat ability for time times like this, but he made the best of what he had. While the shots kept coming at him, most were missing, or deflected by the shields he put up. Now he just needed an opportunity...

It came soon enough, as he made a sharp left turn around a ravine corner and stopped cold. Rapidly shifting to ferret form to limit his visibility as a target, he began preparing his bind spells, settling down to wait. Either his pursuers would shortly be coming around the corner after him, or he would have lost them totally; either way worked for him.

Minutes stretched on, with no sight nor sound of anything besides his own breathing that was slowing from the exertion. Yuuno began to relax, thinking he had actually lost them. If that was the case, he needed to get out of here before they came back. He figured flying out was too dangerous; he didn't want to become a target again, so that only left one option. Focusing on teleporting, Yuuno aimed to get back to the Scrya camp, but shortly realized he wasn't going anywhere.

[A barrier!] he growled internally, shifting back to human form. [Communication seems to be jammed, too. I should have expected that.]

Before he could debate his next course of action, several objects embedded themselves around the location where he stood, with a metallic ring. Reacting instinctively, Yuuno cast a full Steel Defense barrier an instant before the objects all exploded. Through the dust and debris kicked up, more beams and energy shots sought him out, and while his shield held, the ground didn't.

Yuuno cried out in surprise as the rock and dirt gave way beneath him, and the darkness and resulting rock avalanche swallowed him up.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's Notes:

As stated at the start, this takes place a year after StrikerS (so it's 0077), and going off the three TV series. Other details from booklets and sound stages may be incorporated as close as possible, but no guarantees.

One of my main goals when writing this fic, was a way to better understand the characters, relationships, terminology and such. Writing helps plant things more firmly in my mind, and as a fanfic writer, I love the challenge of trying to get my derivative creations as close to the real thing as possible. It's partly why continuation fanfics are my favorite.

Anyway, always looking for C&C (Comments and Criticism), as long as it's constructive, on this or any other fic. I"ll always go back and do edits as needed.


	2. Converging Paths

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 2: Converging Paths**

Xx~~*~~xX

"Fate-chan, are you feeling okay?" Nanoha asked as the golden-haired woman came downstairs for breakfast. "You seemed out of it when you came home last night."

Fate yawned as she poured herself a cup of tea and sat down. "Yeah, just tired. I'll be good after I get some food. I have to head out early today to follow up on some things with Teana."

The Ace-of-aces still detected something a bit off about her close friend, but further inquiry was halted as a bundle of energy promptly made its presence known.

"Good morning Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama!" Vivio exclaimed as she burst into the kitchen for breakfast, first glomping onto Nanoha in the kitchen, then racing around to climb into a surprised Fate's lap.

Fate giggled and Nanoha sighed, as she brought the plates of food around.

"Vivio, you need to sit in your own chair so Fate-mama can eat," Nanoha admonished her.

The young girl clearly looked disappointed. "Awww...."

"It's okay," Fate replied, smiling a bit brushing Vivio's hair a bit with her fingers. "Vivio hasn't been able to see Fate-mama in awhile, has she? This is the first time I've been home in a few days."

"There you go, spoiling her again," Nanoha sighed, but with a hint of amusement as she sat down. "Vivio, Fate-mama will be picking you up from school today, and then she'll be able to spend the rest of the day with you, okay?"

Thankfully, the young girl seemed to accept with only minor protest, as she took her own seat. "Okaaaay...."

"Now that's a good girl!" came a new voice from near the floor.

"Arf!" the young girl exclaimed, leaning down to pet the orange puppy next to her chair. "Yes, Vivio is always a good girl!" She giggled.

"Will you be taking Vivio to school today, Arf?" Nanoha asked, then starting to eat.

"Yes, and then I'm heading over to assist Yuuno in the library," the familiar replied as she wandered over to her food bowl. "He has some research projects he needs assistance on later today."

"Can I got to the liberry and help Mr. Yuuno, too!?" Vivio asked, not quite pronouncing the location correctly. All three girls knew she mostly wanted to play with ferret mode.

"Not today," Nanoha told her. "But perhaps this weekend. Yuuno is a busy man."

Vivio picked at her food. "Awww, I wanted to help." Fate smiled at her and winked, and Vivio began eating.

As they began to chow down, Nanoha noted that Fate was eating more slowly than normal. She could clearly tell that something was on her best friend's mind, having known her for so long. But she also felt it was something that should be discussed later, after Vivio had been sent off to school.

Speak of which, the youngest Takamachi had really brightened up once she got used to her new magic school. She had made new friends there as well, and Nanoha was glad she was starting to look like a normal school girl. Well, as normal as testube-created descended of an ancient Belkan king with strong magical powers in a magic school could be. Nanoha's own school years seemed far more tame and normal compared to that.

Once breakfast was finished, and Nanoha walked Arf and Vivio to the sidewalk to see them off, the pony-tailed mage returned to find that Fate was about to leave herself. Nanoha realized that Fate was purposefully trying to leave before sharing what was on her mind.

Fate stopped as she spied Nanoha standing in the doorway, blocking her path, giving her the look. "What?"

Nanoha didn't say anything, instead crossing her arms over her chest, continuing to give her the look. When Fate sighed, she knew he had acquired victory.

Fate began to explain a bit about their raid last night and how Jail's name had come up. So after leaving Teana to handle the cleanup with the enforcer crew, Fate took a teleport to speak with Jail directly....

x~~*~~x

"My dear beloved Fate, what a pleasant surprise!" Jail only seemed happy to see her, something that Fate barely hid her disgust over. "To what do I owe this happy visitation?"

"We cleaned up a little crew of smugglers last night, who apparently had contact with you," Fate told him, keeping her tone neutral and trying to gauge his reaction.

"I had contact with many people throughout my life," the doctor admitted easily, adjusting how he sat on his cell's small bed. If he was hiding something, Fate couldn't tell. "It can be so hard to get some items, what with the bureau's heavy-handed draconian laws restricting so many innocent yet fascinating objects."

Fate crossed her arms over her chest. "Recent communication. Computer logs indicate these took place within the past few months."

Jail laughed, holding up the shackles that kept his hands bound. "Do I look like a man who could contact anyone, without someone knowing about it?"

"Then do you know if someone could be faking your identity?" Fate probed. "Did you have some program set up to mimic you? Someone else working for you?"

Jail stood and shrugged, walking over to the opposite wall to lean his back against it. "How should I know? I'm a little Jail bird at the moment." He chuckled at his own pun.

"I want answers, Scaglietti!" Fate demanded, still managing to keep her composure, and going on the attack. "You're up to something again, I know it. What do you have to hide? What are you afraid of me finding out?"

"Oh..." Jail's attitude seemed to change a bit, as he focused on her, walking over to the translucent barrier that kept him locked in his cell. "Perhaps, like a good loving father, I am only protecting you, my dear daughter?"

"You can give that up, _Doctor_," Fate told him, emphasizing the title. "Being involved in Project F, and me being a clone, does not make you my father." She had come to terms with that a long time ago.

Jail smiled widely, like a cat who had just caught a mouse. "Project F? While you were produced from that research I pioneered, I had actually known your mother far, far earlier to that point. We were rather close, your mother and I. We worked on a number of subjects, before she departed with Alicia... the daughter I gave her. She so dearly wanted a daughter...."

Fate's eyes narrowed as she sought to harden herself. "You're lying again. I don't know why, but it won't gain you anything."

Jail looked hurt. "Lying? My dear girl, what would I have to gain through that? I just wanted my daughter to know. As a clone of Alicia, that makes you my daughter as well!"

Fate tried to steady her legs, as the thought of Jail being Alicia's and, by consequence Fate's, father swam through her head. "You're trying to distract me from the issue at hand. Tell me what's going on with this smuggling operation!"

Jail merely sighed and walked back to his bunk to lay down, refusing anymore attempt at communication. Fate let him know that she would find out sooner or later, and left him there.

x~~*~~x

"You obviously don't believe he could be your real biological father, do you?" Nanoha ventured, placing a hand on Fate's shoulder.

The golden-haired girl shook her head. "Of course not. Although I don't know who my father was, I decided it wasn't important. Jail is hiding something; I'm sure of it."

Nanoha squeezed her friend's shoulder encouragingly. "You'll find out. Just don't let him get to you. He's locked up now, where he can't do anymore harm."

"Thanks Nanoha," Fate said, smiling in earnest. "I feel better, but I need to be going. Teana is waiting for me at TSAB headquarters."

Nanoha hugged her, then watched as she departed. She could tell it was still bothering her good friend, but not as much as before. Whatever it was, Nanoha was confident that Fate would get to the bottom of it; she was an excellent investigator.

Another person was fixing breakfast that morning, while her father read the news. Ginga turned around to greet several pairs of sleepy eyes as they entered and sat down around the table.

"Good morning, sisters!" Ginga happily announced as the adopted cyborg numbers piled in around the table. The paperwork had been mostly finished, and the four cyborgs had officially become adoptees of the Nakajima family.

Only Cinque managed a quiet reply, as Nove, Dieci and Wendi merely grumbled.

"You girls were out late last night," Genya remarked, taking a sip from his tea. "Had fun?"

Wendi sighed. "We couldn't pull Dieci and Cinque away from the kareoke bar. I think they were given cyborg throat systems."

Cinque managed a quiet blush, and Dieci whistled while looking away and scractching the back of her head.

"Well, as long as you don't do that too often," Ginga replied, setting plates down. "You have a probation meeting later this morning, so you need to be at your best."

"Let me help with that," Cinque offered, heading into the kitchen to grab the rest.

"Where's Subaru?" Nove asked curiously, looking around.

Genya turned off the news display to begin eating. "She had an emergency call, so she to head in really early this morning. She should be back later today, though."

Nove nodded, satisifed. "Good. I wanted to spar with her today. She was gonna show me some hand-to-hand move of hers."

x~~*~~x

"[Subaru here, I found two more and am digging them out now,]" the short blue-haired rescue agent communicated.

"[Roger that,]" came the telepathic reply from the rescue organizer.

Subaru Nakajima hovered inches above the snowy avalanche on her Wing Road, Mach Calibur having located two skiers trapped below it. For a moment, she debated the best way to free them, then decide to dig down to them at an angle. She calculated the trajectory and the skier's location, then unleashed her Divine Buster variant at a 45 degree angle, blowing the snow out of the way and creating a ramp.

"That should do it," Subaru stated confidently. "Mach Calibur, we're going down, ski mode."

"Ski mode activation," came the female reply from her device. As Subaru jumped off her Wing Road, the wheels of her roller blades reformed, disappearing and forming a pair of short skis on her feet.

From there, it was a simple matter to ski down the ramp her Divine Buster had dug, to reach the same level as the skiers were at. Taking it easy, she carefully dug sideways to them, eventually reaching the pair within a couple of minutes.

"Are you two okay?" She asked, as she pulled the first one out, a woman a bit older than her.

"Just c-c-cold, m-mainly," the man still inside replied, shivering "Y-you got here f-f-airly fast. Is m-my wife okay?"

"I'm fine, dear," the woman told him. "I was more worried about you. You covered me with your own body when the avalanche came. Though I'll have trouble walking for awhile."

Subaru pull the woman's husband free and smiled. "That won't be a problem; I've arranged your transportation. Mach Calibur, Wing Road and prepare for skate mode. We'll get you two warmed back up in no time!"

Stepping back, she formed the road and leapt back up, skis reforming back to skates, then swung down to the couple's level, using her cyborg strength to haul them up. Placing an an arm around the waist of each of them, the rescue mage began her descent down the mountain.

"W-wow, you're v-very strong for a g-girl you're age!" the man exclaimed, finding himself fully supported by her arm.

"Dear, that's rude!" the woman admonished him, then looked at her rescuer. "Remind me to swat him later."

Subaru merely smiled. "Not a problem, I'm used to it. All part of the job!"

Once upon a time, being "different" had bothered her, but that was before Tea and Section Six. There she had met many friends who accepted her for who she was, and didn't shun her because she wasn't fully human. Now she was proud to use everything she had to help others, like a certain mage had done for her several years ago.

x~~*~~x

"...and that's everything we have right now," Fate was saying. "Have you heard anything on your end?"

Hayate leaned back in her chair in thought as she studied Fate's face on the screen. "Officially, the Golem project is still in the research and testing phase. Unofficially, I've heard rumors of some secret deployment. If any of the deployed prototypes were lost or stolen, no one will admit it. I'm afraid, for now, you're on your own."

Fate sighed. "So what do we do with this unit we captured?"

"I'd suggest sending it over to Shari for analysis," Hayate suggested. "Technically, it doesn't exist, so no one should complain if you do. Just make sure it's locked down well. Whoever in the Bureau lost it, might want to reclaim it. And I'll see what I can find out from here, in investigations."

"Is it that bad?" Fate ventured, speaking in a quieter tone.

"It's been crazy, ever since the Regius-Jail link got out," Hayate admitted, rubbing her temples. "No department wants to communicate with the others, for fear of leaks. No one will admit to anything, for fear it will get back to them. I've never seen such department in-fighting. My hopes of reforming the Bureau keep running into red tape and roadblocks. When it was created, the TSAB was a smooth operation that did a lot of good. But it's ballooned into a lot of bureaucratic territory squabbles."

Fate half-smiled, half-grinned. "Breaking through roadblocks should be a certain short knight's specialty."

"I heard that!" came a taciturn voice from across the room. "I AM here, you know. But Hayate won't let me use Graf Eisen on them." Vita sighed.

Hayate and Fate giggled.

"As much as I would love to, I'm afraid we're more reliant on your investigation to figure out what exactly is going on," Hayate said at last. "I could send Signum to you; you two work good together, and you might need the extra firepower."

The golden-haired girl nodded. "Thanks, I appreciate that." Her attitude shifted. "Now, are you really enjoying your desk job?"

"It's not too bad," Hayate said quickly.

"She'd rather be out there blasting bad guys!" Rein exclaimed. "She mopes around a lot about it! She envies you."

"Why not transfer to a front line assignment, then?" Fate inquired. "I could pull some strings and get you into an agent position."

Hayate shook her head. "Thanks, but no, for two main reasons. One is that my magic isn't well-suited to being an agent. I'm an artillery type, you know that. And two, if we're going to have any hope of rooting out the corruption and reforming the Bureau, I need to make contacts. Chrono, Lindy, and Carim by themselves, while helpful, aren't quite enough. Even the old admirals won't be enough, as they are mainly figureheads now. I learned what I needed to in Section Six, and proved what could be done. I already have commanders in other units inquiring into my methods and assistance for reform. I have a real shot here."

"Well, I wish you all the luck, as you'll need it more than me!" Fate replied, half-joking. "I have to sign off now; Teana and I need to follow up some leads."

"Take care," Hayate told her as the other ended communications. She then swiveled her chair to look across the room. "Well?"

"I can head out immediately to meet up with Testerossa," Signum offered. "While you may be able to tolerate these desk jobs, my sword will grow rusty without action."

"You just want an excuse to fight Fate again," Vita teased, smirking.

That was one of the few things that could get to the pink-haired Belkan warrior, and Vita was rewarded with the slight blush and righteous anger.

"Testerossa is a fine warrior, unlike a certain short knight I could mention!" Signum shot back.

The master of the Wolkenritter sighed and slapped the table to forestall a teasing session. While she knew they were just playing around, there were things that needed to be taken care of first.

"One last point of business, regarding Nanoha-chan's mail, I think it's a great idea," Hayate announced.

Signum and Vita nodded, and even the normally quiet Zafira lifted his head to nod from where he lay in wolf-form.

"Yay, party!" Rein exclaimed, only to be knocked back by several close firing fireworks. "Hey!"

"Looks like Agito is awake," Vita noted dryly.

"You can thank the shrimp for that," Agito groused, rubbing her eyes as she floated up out of Signum's bag. "I was sleeping so peacefully, too."

"I'm taller than you!" Rein steamed, getting into the face of the other unison device. Signum sighed and grabbed the two, putting thumbs over their mouths to prevent a shouting war.

Hayate groaned and rubbed her temples again. "Vita, could you detour and inform Erio and Caro? And take Zafira with you. I think it will be a nice surprise if those two are there for Fate's party. And Signum can notify Teana, Chrono and Lindy, as well as keep an eye on Fate."

Signum nodded, keeping a firm hand on the incensed Agito as the pair left her office, followed by Vita and Zafira. Hayate almost regretted turning down Fate's offer; she really felt like blasting something right now.

x~~*~~x

Yuuno blinked his eyes open, not that it did much good. The inside of his eyelids were an exact copy of the ebony void that surrounded him. Fortunately, all of his bones appeared to be in working order as he sat himself up. A few places felt a bit sore, but considering what he went through, he was glad he was alive and in one piece.

Standing up, he tried a simple light spell, but his brow furrowed in concentration and confusion, as he realized he had to put more magic than usual into getting the small glowing orb to form. However, the light did reveal his location to be some kind of underground tunnel. One side appear to be collapsed, and he realized it might have been because of his entrance. He vaguely remembered hitting the bottom and his spherical barrier bouncing and rolling him along as he was buried.

And somewhere along the way, he lost his pack with his camping gear and food in it, although his water canteen was still connected to his belt.

"Well, I'm not getting out that way," he said out loud. After concentrating for a moment, he sighed. "And apparently not teleporting out, either. Could their jamming barrier still be in effect?"

Noticing some red sparkles on a wall, he walked over and brushed them with his right fingertips. The light in his left hand flickered a bit, and Yuuno instantly realized what was going on. [Anti-magic minerals!]

He recalled the reports on Jail's drones, that their Anti-Magic Field appeared to be generated from a unique substance found within. It was never properly identified, since it resisted magical inspection. But Yuuno wondered if Jail had discovered it and was mining it. If so, that could be the reason he was attacked: Automated defenses designed to protect his mines.

"Well, that doesn't help me for now," he realized. "And this tunnel looks like it was carved out, which means it leads somewhere. Let's hope it's outside."

Ignoring the aches in his joints, Yuuno began to walk. He slowly lost track of time, where minutes soon felt like hours as the tunnel curved this way and that, up and down. The air was stale, but at least it was breathable. Still, he thought it best to be on the safe side and formed a magical barrier breathing mask over his nose and mouth. It would filter out any impurities, like any kind of harmful gas.

As he walked, he noted there was no sign of any life. No bats or spiderwebs, which was a bad sign. It meant that this area wasn't hospitable to any form of higher life.

However, the tunnel eventually gave birth a large cavern, at least as far as Yuuno could see into the void beyond. He created another light ball and sent both of them ahead. Immediately in front of him, was a partially demolished stone arch standing in front of wide hole, but beyond that was still darkness despite the light from the twin orbs. As he walked up to the edge and looked down, he could see it wasn't a direct drop, but more of a gradual slope downwards, probably evening out somewhere near the middle. Also, the edges were smooth, as if something had once been there and then were removed. It didn't seem natural. He guessed the hole itself was easily several kilometers across.

Recalling one of the light balls, Yuuno headed to the stone arch to examine it. On the front, there appeared to be some sort of plate. Brushing the dust and debris away from it, he could barely make out some symbols.

"Obviously an ancient language, but these seem almost familiar," he mumbled to himself. "A dialect of Belkan?"

He tried to sound them out, but at first they made no sense. He wished he could interface with the Infinity Library to search for a match. The best he could do at the moment, was memorize the symbols. Although he couldn't shake the feeling they were familiar.

[It's not Ancient Belkan...] Yuuno reasoned, closing his eyes to think. [Before that? What would be before that?]

His eyes snapped open. He suddenly realized where he had seen them before. And if he was right, this discovery could be the most important in his life.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's Notes:

One criticism so far is that I may be including too many characters, which is a criticism some have leveled against the StrikerS series. I've cut down some parts of the story, and many of the secondary characters I mention, will remain secondary. But I do want to give some of the main characters a chance to shine, including some of the mains that barely had roles in StrikerS. If it's still too much, I can look at seeing what else I can cut out, but based on the dictates of the plot, it basically demands a response from quite a few.

Oh, and a bit of a helper note for those that have trouble sorting out the cyborgs:

In jail:

#1 Uno – Secretary

#3 Tre – Wide/Ride Impulse girl (pinkish-purple wings)

#4 Quattro – If you don't know who this is...

#7 Sette – Boomerang Blades girl (she defended Jail along with Tre against Fate at the end)

Adopted by Nakajima family:

#5 Cinque – eye-patch girl

#9 Nove – Roller Blades like Subaru and Gin

#10 Dieci – Uses the big cannon

#11 Wendi – Surfboard girl

Taken in by the St. Church:

#6 Sein – Deep diver

#8 Otto – Ray storm, the one that looks like a boy

#12 Deed – the two red blades chick stopped by Teana

And #2 Due was whacked by Zest.


	3. Echoes

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 3: Echoes**

Xx~~*~~xX

Subaru stepped off the teleporter pad to greet the orange-haired girl in front of her. She had to remind herself that this child wasn't exactly a child.

"I'm glad you could come, Ms. Subaru," Arf told her, bowing.

The mage cyborg chuckled, putting a hand behind her head. "You can drop the Ms. part; it makes me sound old!"

Arf smiled, but Subaru could see that Arf looked worried. Her thoughts drifted back a few hours before...

x~~*~~x

When there was no real emergencies, there was always the minor case files. These were smaller things, that rescue agents could take on case-by-case basis, usually only needing one rescuer. Most were filed as either missing person reports, demolition of dangerous areas or buildings requests, or other fetch or delivery items. Sometimes some extra help was requesting to build something like a dam, or even harvest a field or deliver supplies. Things that weren't urgent, but could help improve the lives of people.

One of those was in front of Subaru's computer screen now. It was a missing person report; someone hadn't checked in when they were supposed to, and couldn't be contacted. It hadn't been quite long enough for an official missing report which would warrant a large-scale search. But Subaru recognized the names listed.

It had been filed by an "Arf" that Subaru knew to be Fate's familiar. Also, the person she was requesting help to find, was one "Yuuno Scrya." Subaru hadn't formally met him, though she knew who he was. He had apparently met Nanoha when they were younger, and now they were good friends. He was also the main director at the Infinity Library.

Subaru decided to use her initiative to take the case.

x~~*~~x

"So why did you filed an official request, instead of asking Fate or Nanoha?" Subaru questioned as the two moved through the air, the cyborg on her wing road with Arf flying beside her.

"Promise to keep this a secret?" Arf asked, then continued when Subaru nodded. "Fate and Nanoha have been busy with their own things lately, and I wanted to be able to do this on my own. I haven't been able to do much for Fate lately; she hasn't really needed me. While I'm happy to do what I can, I wish that I could do more. I even take this smaller child form so that I'm not a drain on her magic."

Subaru could understand that. "I've felt the same way. When I was young, all I could do was cry, while my big sister did all the work. But after Nanoha rescued me in an airport fire, I realized I was just being weak. I wanted to be stronger."

Arf looked away for a moment, then looked back. "While I train a bit, doing too much is a drain on Fate's magic, and she's got some big responsibilities. And even if I trained, I'd never catch up to her strength now. I thought I could make myself more useful if I could at least search for someone, but this planet is too big. The Scrya tribe only gave me a general idea of where Yuuno had gone. I thought an official rescuer would have have a better idea." She smiled. "I'm glad it was you; Fate talked highly of you back in Section Six!"

Subaru's cheeks reddened a bit in embarrassment. "Heh, well, I'll do what I can. For now, we can just head in the direction Yuuno was headed and follow his tracks."

"Well, it's just ahead, then," Arf told her. "I had just barely picked up Yuuno's trail when you contacted me, and informed me you were coming. I haven't had a chance to follow it thoroughly, and he apparently flew quite a bit."

The rescue mage nodded, and the two descended to the forest below.

x~~*~~x

"Operators of the unknown vessel, you are hereby ordered to power down your weapons and engines, and prepare to be boarded," Chrono commanded. "If you comply, you will be given the chance to defend yourself at trial. Disarm if you agree."

"Still no response, Admiral," Lucino Liilie, his ship's navigator and communications officer replied.

Chrono sighed, a bit frustrated. The vessel his ship, the Claudia, was pursuing, had allegedly attacked a research outpost. They had been in the area on maneuvers, and thus were ordered to investigate. Thought it had yet to respond in any other way, then firing weapons and fleeing.

"More energy fire," Lucino reported. "Shields holding, and our weapons appear to be having no effect... wait... confirmed, there is an anti-magic shield around the enemy ship."

"Well, that would explain why we can't teleport over," Chrono concluded. "Yet, there has to be a way...."

He watched more blue energy beams lanced out from the enemy ship to strike his own. The Claudia shook a bit from the attacks, but he knew she would hold; she was one of the most advanced ships in the TSAB fleet. But watching the weapons fire gave him an idea.

"I'll handle this personally," Chrono stated, rising to his feet, then turned to his second-in-command. "Griffith, you take command from here."

Griffith Lowran, his first officer looked dubious. "Sir?"

"I have great skill in self-teleportation, and I think I know a way to bypass the AMF," he explained. "I'll be in the teleporter room, and will need an audio/visual feed once I'm there."

"Aye aye, sir," came his communication officer's voice as Chrono left the bridge.

He continued to speak to the bridge via communicator as he ran. "Also, when I give the word, I'm going to want you to drop our shields. I know it sounds crazy, but our natural armor should protect us for several hits."

The bridge personnel responded positively; they were a good crew and had known each other a long time. Lucino and Griffith were old hands from Section six, and Alex and Randy had been on his mother's ship. Even though he knew this was going to be one of his craziest schemes, he also knew they had learned to trust his judgment. As he entered the teleportation room, screens came up showing the enemy ship. He brought out his first device, S2U, and tied his magic into the ship's teleportation system, drawing off it to boost his own.

"Okay, drop shields now, for 10 seconds!" he ordered, then watched the screen. His spell complete, he waited for the exact moment an energy beam connected the two ships, and released the spell.

He felt the familiar sensation of his body stretching, occupying an endless part of space and time; and for a moment, felt panic that he may have overestimated himself. His plan was reckless; in the split second when both ships were connected with the energy beam, he had hoped to travel back along that, using it like a bridge past the AMF. But as his insides felt a sharp pain, he wondered if it was all that bright of an idea.

And then he was whole again. Groaning, he picked himself off the floor and looked around, grinning despite the pain. He made made it onto the suspect's ship! Now he just needed to make it stop, or get rid of the AMF field so the enforcers could follow him over.

As he worked his way through the corridors, he felt a peculiar sensation, as if he was alone. He hadn't encountered any other people, and there was no ship-wide communications. Could the ship be on auto-pilot? Had the crew managed to escape somewhere along the line?

A drone coming around the corner partially answered his question.

"Blaze Cannon!" he shouted, pointing his device at the target. "The energy ball formed and fired, impacting the AMF of the type-1 gadget drone. At first he thought it would pass through, but then it fizzled.

Instantly, he realized his mistake. The whole ship was enveloped in an AMF, as well as the drone's own. His magic was weaker as a result. He needed another approach, and fast as he dove through a doorway to avoid return fire.

He returned Sniper to card form and brought out Durandel. Magic attacks might be hindered, but kinetic and thermal ones worked just fine. He brought up the staff as the drone came flying through.

"Ice Coffin!"

The temperature dropped instantly, as Durandel sucked up all the heat in the area. The room froze, as did the drone. It wobbled a bit, then fell to the floor. Chrono walked up to it and pointed the staff at point blank range.

"Azure Spear."

Water gathered and instantly froze into a lance, projecting from the end of Durandel and skewering the Drone. The ice then shattered, and Chrono left the room. Where there was one drone, there had to be more, and odds are, they were controlling the ship.

Passing a computer panel on a wall, he tapped a few keys and was rewarded with a layout of the ship. It wasn't that big, and the major sections were clearly marked, including the main AMF generator. Accessing that panel also probably pointed out his location, as three more drones came down the corridor, firing.

Chrono wasted no time in freezing the drones as they came, working his way to the AMF generation room. Once the guardian gadgets in that room were frozen, he increased the power to Durandel, freezing the generator solid. With the field down, Enforcers were able to teleport over and take control of the ship, finishing off the rest of the drones.

"Good work, Admiral!" Griffith complimented him from the screen, then shook his head in disbelief. "Every day you surprise me."

Chrono grinned. "I used to be the #1 Enforcer before I became an Admiral, Griffith." His expression became serious. "Contact the TSAB: We have a problem."

x~~*~~x

12 year-old Erio Mondale had to admit he liked flying.

Of course, it didn't hurt that his partner in flight was the 12-year old girl, Caro Le Rushe, who was sitting behind him on Friedrich's large form. She was currently holding onto his waist; not that she was in danger of falling, although one could never be too careful. That's what she told him, anyway, whenever they went out on patrol. Erio didn't care for the reason, just that it felt oddly comforting.

Fried dipped as he turned, heading towards their targetted location, staying several meters above the treetops. Their mission was to check out a section of the Wildlife Preservation. Some of the creatures there were acting strangely, and it was their mission to find out why.

"Listen," Caro said suddenly.

Erio suddenly realized he hadn't really been paying attention to anything else other than the girl behind him. He strained his ears, but didn't hear anything. He looked back at her questioningly.

"There's nothing," she elaborated. "No birds chirping, no animals growling or roaring. It's quiet, like there's nothing there."

"What is this section of the Preserve supposed to be for?" Erio asked.

"Some of the most magically-attuned or magically sensitive rare creatures are here, such as dragons and sphinxes," Caro explained. "You can usually see at least one or two flying around, but the skies are clear. I hope we aren't dealing with some aggressive poachers...."

Erio could hear the worry in her voice; these animals meant a lot to her. "Don't worry; anyone that could mess with a dragon would require a large operation, and we would have detected one already if that was the case." He looked back at her and gave her a confident smile.

Caro tried to smile back. "You're right. There has to be something else going on here and... Erio?"

The young dragon knight's smile had vanished. "Looks like we got company, hold on!" He flapped Fried's reigns, urging the dragon faster.

The summoner girl glanced back, seeing what caused the change in her partner's attitude: "A pack of wyverns! But why are they after us? And why are so many gathered together like that?"

Both of them knew about wyverns; smaller and more aggressive than dragons, they also roamed in very small packs of 2-4 usually. Larger groups could happen, but only in self-defense or desperation. They also tended to be faster than dragons, which was becoming evident as they slowly gained on Fried.

"Erio, make a sharp left turn, quickly, I'll try to slow them down!"

He knew he didn't really need to direct Fried, as being Caro's dragon, he could understand his mistress quite well. So he wasn't surprised when Fried immediately banked.

"What I seek is that with which to admonish, with which to seize," Caro began to chant, having already activated her barrier jacket and Kerykeion. "Answer to my words, binding chains of steel. Tempered Iron Summon: Alchemic Chain!"

Four Summoning squares appeared in mid-air, chains reaching up to snag four of the wyverns. But there were still five more coming. Erio realized Caro couldn't do more than that, even though she had been practicing. They needed something else and fast, as the wyverns entered firing range and began sending small fireballs at them. They weren't lethal; but too many hits could even bring Fried down.

"Caro, take over, I'll try something," he told her, activating his own barrier jacket and pulling out his spear. "Strada, form two!"

"Don't hurt them," the young summoner pleaded. "They may not know what they are doing, and this is a Preserve!"

Erio flashed her a smile. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!"

And with that, he leapt off of Fried towards the wyverns, engaging the booster to fly straight at them. As he expected, they scattered as he charged into their midst, but he utilized the side boosters to change his flight angle to follow one, landing on it's scaly neck. Before it could shake him, Erio placed the shaft of his spear against it's throat and held onto both ends, hugging the neck tightly.

The wyvern roared as it thrashed in mid-air, unable to dislodge the pest attached to him. From the corner of his eyes, Erio could see the others circling. But would they attack? He got his answer in short order, as a small fireball whizzed past him while another struck near his leg. It appeared that the other wyverns wouldn't hesitate to turn on their own if they sensed weakness.

Meanwhile, the wyvern he was attached to was beginning to sink, tiring out, just as he figured it would. He knew wyverns may have more speed than dragons, but they had much less endurance.

"ERIO!"

The dragon knight leapt off his target at Caro's cry, engaging the boosters to shoot straight up. Looking around, he saw that Caro was seemingly having trouble with Fried. The dragon seemed to be brushing against the tree tops. A quick glance told him the other wyverns were retreating, but why? He didn't have time to think about that, as he sped back towards Caro, returning Strada to watch form after landing. He reached ahead and helped her grasp the reins, trying to pull Fried up.

"What's wrong with him?" Erio shouted against the wind.

"I don't know!" Caro yelled, near tears. "He doesn't feel right, but I don't think he was hit!"

[And we seem to have another problem,] Erio thought glumly, as Fried began to glow under them. "I think he's changing back! Caro, we need to jump!"

"NO!" she cried back. "I won't leave him! He's not well!"

Erio sighed, but he knew he needed to do it. As Fried's large form faded out beneath them, Erio grabbed the teary Caro and leapt, turning in midair to shield her body from the branches as the forest swallowed them up.

x~~*~~x

"That's the ship?" Teana asked, as Fate and her watched the _Claudia_ tow the strange vessel in.

"Yes," the senior agent replied. It wasn't much of a ship; a rounded tin can with two big engines on either side, less than half the size of the _Claudia_. "Chrono tells me gadget drones were involved, and you know that means."

"Jail Scaglietti," Teana answered back, although she knew she didn't have to. She had read all the intel; while the drones could be set up to act autonomously when released, they could also be controlled. Still, it was thought all the drones had been decommissioned several months ago, shortly after Jail's capture. They all deactivated without anything left to control them.

If that was the case, where did these come from?

"Did someone pick up where Jail left off?" Teana spoke the unanswered questions that were on both their minds, as the pair headed for the loading docks to investigate the ship. "Or did Jail somehow engineer this?"

"That's what we're going to find out," Fate answered as they were teleported aboard.

"Welcome ladies, to the Bucket," Griffith greeted them with a smile.

"Agent Fate T. Harlaown and Junior Agent Teana Lanster, reporting" Fate identified for the both of them, saluting, then smiled. "It's good to see you again, Griffith."

He nodded and smiled warmly. "Likewise. It's been about a year, hasn't it?"

Teana blinked. "Wait a minute, the Bucket?"

Griffith began leading them down the corridor. "It's what the crew nicknamed it. You've seen out the outside looks. Very plain and ordinary, like a bucket with two engines attached. No style or class at all. Minimum functionality."

"Any sign who built or controlled it?" Tea inquired.

"Yes and no," he told her. "It had drones and an AMF, but there's no magical technology present inside it at all." They reached the end of the corridor and a door swished open, revealing a small room with 3 seats and computer panels. "And here's the bridge. Kinda small as you can see. We haven't tried to look into any of the files yet; I gather that's what you ladies are here for. I have to report back to the _Claudia_ while Chrono is away making his report; he sends his regards and apologies he couldn't meet you in person."

Griffith excused himself as the two looked around. Teana realized he was right; the bridge was rather small. As opposed to the TSAB ship bridges, there were exactly three seats and just enough space to walk between them; one seat at the front, and one on each side.

Tea sat down on the right side one and began to tap at the keyboard. As opposed to the translucent hologram keyboards most used, this one used an actual hard keyboard. It made the whole ship seem.... old.

"Fate, this was obviously Scaglietti's work, right?" She asked as she started picking at the keyboard. "Why don't we go down and confront him. He has to know something about this."

Fate shook her head. "That won't do any good. He won't reveal what he knows; it'll be a waste of time."

The junior agent persisted. "But we won't know until we try, right? We have nothing to lose."

"It's a waste of time," Fate repeated more firmly. "We have to focus on leads that actually go somewhere. Which, right now, is figuring out what information we can pry from this ship. Scaglietti will have us going in circles."

"But...." Tea started again, then stopped, realizing Fate was ignoring her for the moment, tapping away at the keys and watching her own screen. She sighed and returned to her own workstation. Why was Fate so insistent upon avoid Jail? Well, hers was the junior position, supposedly to learn about being an agent from her mentor.

She'd have to accept it for now, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Fate was keeping something back.

x~~*~~x

"That's a golem?" Suzuka motioned, looking up at the big bipedal gray mechanical giant thing in the inspection cradle, then giggled. "It looks like a mecha from my homeworld."

Shari's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "A mecha? You have golems on your planet?"

Suzuka laughed a bit more. "Not exactly. They are only featured in entertainment. I don't think anyone on my planet has managed to build a real one."

The pair climbed up the gantry, heading over to the cockpit where Shari hit a few buttons to open it. "I've only seen a few reports, but this is my first time up close. I've always wanted to get a look into one."

Suzuka smiled, recognizing the eager look on Shari's face. It was the same one she had worn many times herself when looking at new technology: the desire to find out how it works and how to make it better. Pretty much like a kid in a toy store.

Shari settled into the cockpit, fingers dancing over the controls, bringing up various status on the screens. She seemed to be a natural, despite seeing it for the first time. Suzuka remarked on this out loud.

"Well, the control layout is similar to other cockpits I've seen before," the senior tech explained. "I must say it is a piece of work, though. I'd love to meet whoever designed this." She flipped through a few more screens in rapid motion. "Hmm, general motions are initiated via the foot pedals and control sticks, while you let your magic control the specifics. The right stick may start right arm movement, but your magic controls how, and what you do with the fist. It's a combination. There's a large magic battery, too. My, they thought of everything. One fine piece of engineering, indeed."

"Thank you," came a female electronic voice.

"Of course, they'd put an AI into something this complicated!" Shari realized. "What is your name or designation?"

"I am Terra, prototype golem, created to assist and protect my master," the voice responded.

"Who is your master?" Suzuka asked, still somewhat amazed at the AI's this society could produce.

"That information has not been registered, yet."

"Well, we'll take good care of you for now," Shari said, patting the golem affectionately.

Suzuka giggled, then a thought struck her. "If you don't have a master, how were you controlled before?"

"Minimum functionality mode is possible without master registration," Terra replied, answering her question.

A transparent screen panel opened up next to the pair, breaking Shari's mood. "Shari? This is Fate. I need a magic bypass to get into the files of a ship that's pure technology. Can you assist us?"

The device mechanic sighed. "Alright, I'll be by in a few." Fate thanked her, and then signed off. "I guess your inspection and overhaul will have to wait, Terra. But I promise to get back to you as soon as I can!"

"Understood, and thank you," the AI replied with, what Suzuka could almost swear, was a bit of a coo.

Shari lifted herself out of the cockpit and closed it up. "Alright, Suzuka, let's go and teach you something about magic bypasses!"

Suzuka saluted. "Yes, ma'am!"

x~~*~~x

Deep underground, Yuuno was conserving energy as best as he could. He had used up the last of his water, but he was growing hungrier by the moment. To make matters worse, he could almost swear the air was getting a bit thinner. There was a lot of oxygen trapped underground, but if there was no opening to the surface, he could end up suffocating down here. His body could make due without food for awhile, so the oxygen and water were bigger concerns.

For the moment, he converted to ferret form to use up less resources. He needed time to think. Every problem had a solution, every mystery had an explanation; he had been taught this from the Scrya tribe ever since he could remember.

As he curled up to get some sleep, he just hoped the solution was found before he ran out of resources.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's Notes:

Rewrite of Chapter 3 done. Not much changed here, other than a bit about Arf's dialogue(since I learned familiar's can grow in strength). Reminder that I'm always looking for good C&C.


	4. A Friend in Need

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 4: A Friend in Need**

Xx~~*~~xX

"Well, it's obvious he stayed here for the night," Subaru stated as the pair finished cleaning up their own campsite. "Based on when the Scrya tribe said he took off, he only spent one night camped out before he disappeared. Which means he's somewhere close by."

Arf finished circling the campsite in puppy form. "I can't get a scent on him from here. He must have flown."

"Well, don't give up," she encouraged her companion. "He's an archeologist, right? He would be heading to check out some ruins or something. Now that it's daylight, we can get a good view of the surroundings, and maybe see what his destination could have been."

Arf returned to little girl form and thought for a second. "Now that you mention it, I did hear him mention something about ruins on un-administered planet 83, which is where we are. Something he wanted to check out more. But I don't recall exactly where."

"Can you think of anything else he might have said in relation to them?" Subaru inquired. "Names? Descriptions?"

"Hmmm..." Arf closed her eyes and concentrated. "The only thing I can remember, is that he mentioned the possibility of a lava flow covering the city, if it existed."

Subaru brightened. "That's good! Come on!" She formed a Wing road and started to climb as high into the sky as she could, the familiar flying right behind her. "Aha!"

"What did you find?" Arf asked, curious.

The rescue mage pointed. "There; that mountain range in the distance. If there's a volcano around here, then it has to be there, come on!"

Arf grew excited as they went. Maybe they would be able to find him after all!

x~~*~~x

"Sister? Hi, it's Dieci. Something came up and we won't be able to meet you for lunch today. We'll be home for dinner tonight, though. I'm very sorry!"

Ginga smiled; she did have a soft spot for being called sister, especially by them. "It's alright, you take care of what you need to. Father and I will see you tonight!"

Dieci bowed on screen. "Thank you, and I apologize again!"

The connection closed off, and Ginga returned to her desk work, smiling.

x~~*~~x

"This is..."

"..signs of battle," Arf finished for her, frowing. "Yuuno was attacked. I knew something like would happen!"

The pair hovered in the air, looking at the devastation that pockmarked the ravine below, then descended to get a better view.

"Well, the good thing is, it appears to be a distinct trail," Subaru pointed out as the pair followed it. "The battle moved down this particular channel, and then ended here."

"But this looks like a landslide!" Arf exclaimed, landing. "It looks like the entire ravine wall just collapsed. He could be buried under all that!"

"Mach Caliber, can you scan under that?" Subaru asked her device.

"Working..." it replied. "Unable to penetrate beyond 50 meters due to interference."

"What kind of interference?" Arf inquired.

"Unknown," Mach Caliber responded after a moment. "It appears to have anti-magic properties."

Arf despaired. "Then he could be trapped under here, and we wouldn't know!"

"You're lucky you have a combat cyborg with you," Subaru told her, grinning. "Anti-magic isn't a problem for me, but this could be dangerous. I could risk burying him even more if he's down there. Better stand back"

Arf nodded and jumped up to the top of the ravine.

"Mode change; IS: Vibration Shatter!" Subaru felt her cyborg systems come fully online, as she took her wing road up, then leapt from it, punching the ground of the landslide with full force.

Arf was forced to shield her eyes from the dust and debris kicked up. [Was it enough?]

x~~*~~x

Yuuno had just woken up when he heard the faint explosion. He recognized he was groggy still, but if there was an explosion, someone else could have come under attack. At the very least, someone else was around. He cursed himself that he was still down here; he knew he should have headed back up before going to sleep.

Switching back to human form, he broke into a run back up the tunnel. It was a risk; his human form used more oxygen and burned more energy, but it would also get him up there quicker. He hoped he could make it in time.

x~~*~~x

"Subaru, look out!" Arf shouted in warning.

From the large hole she had "dug" so far, the rescue mage had gotten the warning in time, putting up a barrier to block the energy beam that came out of nowhere.

[I gotta remember to thank Vita for the lessons,] Subaru thought to herself. [It just saved my bacon!]

Arf took off in the direction of the attack, shouting something about going to find the long-distance attacker.

Subaru used Wing Road to escape another explosion, that seemed to have come from a closer distance. Clearing the top of the ravine, she just managed to catch a glimpse of a figure jumping down into another section of it on the far side.

"Oh no you don't!" the cyborg mage shouted, putting her roller blades into high gear. But when she reached the other side, there was no sign of her assailant. "Now where did they go?"

She had no time to ponder, as another long range beam attack came her way, but upon dodging it, she was knocked off her wing road from below by another blast.

x~~*~~x

Chrono looked up from his conversation with his adopted sister as a red alert sounded. Fate's gaze locked with his.

Griffith's image appeared in a floating screen nearby. "Admiral, this message was just picked up on the general distress channel. Let me relay it..."

"This... Suba... under atta... need backup at...."

"Sorry sir, the message cuts out after that," Griffith added.

"That's Subaru's voice!" Teana exclaimed, jumping up from her meal nearby with Signum nearby.

"I'm headed to the bridge," Chrono informed him. "Griffith, pull up Rescue Battalion's records; where did she go? Set a course there immediately if you find it." He paused to give his guests a quick look to answer their unspoken question. "And yes, you all can come along. In fact, I'd appreciate it."

Teana nodded, giving a quick glance at Fate and Signum, who also nodded in solidarity with her. They sprinted off together with Chrono, their thoughts mirroring each other: Subaru was one of them.

"I have it, sir," Griffith came back. "Un-administered world 83. It's mostly uninhabited. It seems she was following up on a missing person's report."

"Who was it?" Signum asked.

"It says a 'Yuuno Scrya' in the report," Griffith replied.

Fate inhaled. "Yuuno!? Why didn't Subaru tell us? Who filed the initial report?"

As the quartet burst onto the bridge, Griffith turned to them, pulling up the file on a floating screen. "Apparently, it was your familiar, Ms. Arf."

[Arf?] Fate thought, confused. [Why didn't she contact me or Nanoha?]

Although she realized that she hadn't really talked with Arf in awhile. After the JS incident, they had settled into a kind of normal family mode where they didn't talk much. If there was a reason for Arf's decision, Fate had to admit she never would have seen it. She'd have to talk her, after this.

"What's our status, Griffith?" Chrono asked, sitting down in his command chair.

"We just departed TSAB headquarters," he replied immediately. "ETA: 20 minutes."

Signum glanced down at the young gun mage. "[We shall arrive in time]" she sent telepathically, sensing Teana's distress. "[Nanoha and Fate trained both of you well.]"

Tea turned and smiled, nodding. "[Thank you, but I know better than anyone, what she can do.]" She turned down to glance at Card-form Cross Mirage in her hand. [You better be okay, you big idiot.]

x~~*~~x

Arf flew low to the ground, in full dog form now. She hated leaving Subaru behind, but those long distance blasts were dangerous; she had to find whoever was doing it and take them out before the pair were picked off.

Fortunately, she had managed to calculate where they were coming from; part way up the mountain, on a ledge. Arf could just make it out, though it would be a minute or two before she could get in range to do anything about it. She would probably be seen, but if she could disrupt this person, then Subaru could finish digging down to Yuuno.

And it became obvious she had been seen, since the next long-range attack was aimed at her. But Arf was ready for it, and skillfully dodged it, switching to puppy form to present a smaller target.

Then the ground exploded under her, sending her careening across the top of the ravine. [Where did that come from!?] she wondered groggily. Shaking it off, she knew she had to keep moving: She was a sitting duck out here in the open.

Knives embedded themselves around her, force Arf to leap quickly, forming a round shield beneath her. Still, the explosions were powerful and sent her tumbling through the air. Someone else was attacking her, she knew now; someone who was purposefully guarding the long-range attacker. But in the back of her dazed mind, Arf felt that there was something about these attacks, but she couldn't quite pull up the information yet.

As she pulled herself to her feet, she sensed something coming in and glanced up at a figure using the overhead sun as cover, coming straight for her. Arf tried to stand, but found her front right leg was hurt bad. She threw up a few chains as a last ditch effort to protect herself, but those were batted away.

In the single second before the figure's fist struck, the face of her attacker was visible. Arf could only manage to shout, "You!" in surprise, before her world went dark.

x~~*~~x

Yuuno gasped for breath, now walking as fast he could. He wasn't sure how much air he had left, but he hoped it was enough to last until someone could get to him. Then he stopped; he recognized the collapsed portion of the tunnel.

He had made it!

And what's more, although it could have been his imagination, he thought he felt a cool breeze. Could someone be digging down to him, and had opened up a crack to the surface? Yuuno dragged himself to the collapsed end of the tunnel and fell to his rear, his strength fading. His eyes were beginning to lose focus, and then his light ball went out, no more magic to sustain it.

As he closed his eyes and right before he passed out, a vision of a face appeared in front of him. "Nanoha...."

x~~*~~x

"Nanoha?" Arisa prodded. "Are you alright? You look like you just spaced out."

Her pony-tailed friend shook her head. "Yeah, sorry, I just had the chills for second. You were saying?"

"I was explaining about the device Suzuka made for me," she repeated, twirling the bo staff around. It's nowhere as complex as yours, but it's very lightweight and strong. The standard spear and staff ends are built-in, but I'm not so good with them right now. Suzuka included them both so I can practice using both."

She demonstrated by focusing her magic, causing one end of the staff to sprout the standard staff end most mid-childan mages used to fire magical blasts. Then spun it around, deactivating that side and growing a spear point on the other end.

"Sounds great!" Nanoha replied, smiling "And we're here, this is where I live now. Fate should be out for a few days, so we can make plans for the party."

Arisa shrunk the staff down to a small card and slipped it into her pocket, bowing as Nanoha opened the door to let her in. "Suzuka should be by a bit later; Shari and her had something to work on...."

She trailed off, noting that Nanoha had spaced out again. What was going through that girl's head now?

x~~*~~x

"Caro, are you alright?" Erio asked, giving the young summoner a little shake.

Her eyelids flickered then slowly opened. "Erio? What happened? Where are we?"

"We fell through the trees, but we also seemed to have fallen through the ground as well," he explained, pointing upwards with his right hand. Above, they could see the sky between the narrow walls of the narrow ravine hole.

"Where's Fried?" Caro asked, growing worried as she remembered. "Is he... ow!" She quickly grabbed her ankle after falling back onto her behind. Putting weight on it had been a bad idea.

Erio felt her ankle with his right hand. "Doesn't appear to be broken, so probably a bad sprain."

It was then that Caro noticed that Erio's left arm hung limply at his side. "Your arm! Are you okay?"

He turned to sit beside her, wincing a bit. "I'm not sure. There's pain whenever I try to move it."

"I'm worried about Fried," Caro said quietly, tearing up a bit. "I can't sense him at all right now. Being a dragon, he uses a bit of magic to fly, and it was almost like he had lost that back there. I hope he's still alive...."

Erio awkwardly patted her shoulder. "I'm sure he is." He placed his hands in his lap and lowered his head. "And I'm sorry about back there."

She shook her head, wiping her eyes. "No, you did what you had to. Now we just need to get out of here. Any ideas?"

"Actually, I think I have one, but it could be rough," Erio told her, standing up and bringing out Strada. "You'll need to hold onto me while I use Strada's boosters to fly us out.

Caro nodded, standing as well, being careful to keep all weight on her left foot. Erio had her put her arms around his neck.

"Hold on tight!" he warned her. "Strada, let's go!"

His device replied affirmative and the boosters engaged, taking them aloft after a few seconds. Erio sensed something wrong, though, as they climbed. Strada was weaving back and forth against his attempt to control it.

"Kerykeion, Boost up!" Caro must have sensed his troubles and their low speed, and was trying to help.

The added power was enough for them to clear the hole and land on the grass beneath the trees. Caro accidentally put weight on her right foot and shrieked, falling against Erio, who dropped Strada and grabbed her with his free arm, breaking her fall with his own. He groaned as his back hit the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Erio!" she told him, embarrassed. "I do this to you a lot, I'm so clumsy!"

Erio chuckled, getting his wind back. "I'm used to it. We'll rest for a bit, and then go look for Fried, and get out of here, okay?"

She nodded, resting against him, but couldn't help feeling as if she were a burden to him.

"[Arf, are you there?]" Subaru sent telepathically, but there was no response. "[ARF!]"

She cursed as she rolled along the ravine floor as fast as she could manage. Her barrier jacket was smoked and torn in a few places, and probably wouldn't hold up to more of a pounding. Not to mention, her right leg was feeling a bit sore.

If they got Arf, then she was in trouble. She had come to rescue someone, and instead lost someone. She needed to pull this together soon, or she'd wouldn't be able to face herself in the mirror as a rescue mage.

And she had the worst feeling that she knew who was attacking her. Even if she was right, she couldn't figure out why. But for the moment, she had to focus on staying alive, as more energy shots were incoming.

Subaru gritted her teeth and braced herself.

x~~*~~x

"Time?"

"ETA: 3 minutes," Griffith replied to Chrono.

[Come on, come on!] Teana gritted her teeth. [Be alive you dumb cyborg!]

x~~*~~x

"Did you get her?" the first one asked.

"With that last shot, I think so," the second replied. "Have the others move in to check."

The mental command came to each of them: "[Withdraw!]"

"[Are you sure you do not want us to confirm destruction of target?]" the first questioned.

"[You don't have time, withdraw,]" the command was sent again, more forcefully. "[There is a TSAB ship inbound; I'll have to risk the loss of this, for what we've gained.]"

The two complied, and the group disappeared.

x~~*~~x

In his cell, Jail smiled.

x~~*~~x

Fate, Teana, Signum, and Agito faded into existence on top of the canyon walls.

"[Subaru, where are you!?]" Teana called telepathically.

Agito floated up high. "I've got her, she's this way!" She took off, the two mages and Belkan knight in pursuit, with Fate carrying Teana.

"That's strange, there's no sign of enemy combatants," Signum noted, Levantine out and at the ready. "Could they have withdrawn? Or did they accomplish their objective?"

"Subaru!" Teana cried, racing over to her fallen friend once they set down, rolling her onto her back from her side. There was blood on her face from a possible head wound, and nasty bruises on her side. Her barrier jacket was torn and burned all over the place. "Come on, you idiot, wake up!"

Subaru cracked one eye open and smiled slightly. "This is a switch; as I remember, it was usually me waking you up."

Tea leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest and scowling at her. "Shut up, you! You don't know how much you made us worry!"

"Are you okay?" Fate asked, sliding an arm under her. "Can you stand?"

The cyborg groaned, as Fate helped her to a sitting position. "I dunno, maybe. After that last attack, I thought I'd play dead. In my state, I thought I could do a convincing interpretation of it, at least." She chuckled, then seethed and grabbed her side. "Bad idea." Her eyes widened. "Oh yeah, Arf is probably in trouble, too. She was here with me when we were attacked. And we think Yuuno is trapped underground, but we were stopped before we could dig him out."

Fate's eyes widened. "Arf was here? No wonder I couldn't contact her. Do you know where she went?"

Subaru shook her head. "Sorry, I got all turned around after we started getting attacked. I think she was going after the long-distance attacker who kept shooting at us."

Signum opened a screen communication to Chrono. "We found Subaru, and she's alive but hurt. She'll need medical attention but I don't think it's too serious. We are going to commence searching for Yuuno and Arf. Let us know if you see anything from up there."

"Roger," Chrono replied. "We'll teleport her aboard."

The Belkan knight closed the window. "Teana, Subaru will be taken care of in the ship. We need to search the area. There still could be enemies around."

Tea nodded, still looking at Subaru. "Leave us to clean up your messes."

"Hey, I-!" She didn't get anything else out as Fate stepped away and the cyborg was beamed up.

"Chrono just sent me the coordinates of where it looks like Subaru and Arf were digging," Signum informed them. "Subaru just confirmed it. But there's anti-magic minerals in the rocks, and the Claudia can't detect if anything is down there."

Fate took a hold again as they took flight, a short hop to the hole Subaru had started to dig. "It looks like Subaru had gotten a good head start before they were attacked."

"Ah," Signum replied in the affirmative. "But how are we going to finish it? Your attacks might bring the whole thing crashing down on Yuuno, if he's down there. My sword is no good for digging, either."

"I can do it," Tea declared confidently, bringing out her guns, and blasting herself up to the top of the ravine wall with thruster flare shots. "Cross Mirage, Beam Mode, Full Power!"

As Fate and Signum made some distance, they watched Tea's guns change, the barrels growing longer. The gun mage then snapped them together, end to end, and rested the end of her shoulder. A scope popped out of the side as she rested her right eye against it. Cross Mirage looked more like a high-powered rifle; or a bazooka.

"Beam Mode, Full power, Ready!" The device chirped.

[I hope I don't hit you, Yuuno,] Teana prayed internally as she took aim downwards, then fired.

Instead of a bullet, an orange lance of energy erupted from the barrel, striking the bottom of the hole and began burrowing deep, vaporizing the dirt and rock in the way.

"I see," the Belkan knight said out loud. "She combined the guns to produce a strong cutting power. She's grown much from her training. You have a skilled partner."

Fate could only nod.

"Go," Signum told her. "I'll stay with Teana. Go find Arf."

The golden-haired agent looked up, determination written across her face, nodding again. "Thank you." She took off to the sky.

"There, I think that does it," Tea announced, cutting off the beam, breathing heavily. "Cross Mirage detected that he hit a pocket. But getting through those anti-magic minerals wasn't easy. Agito, do you think you can go down the hole and check?"

The winged unison device smiled and nodded. "Leave it to me!" The hole turned out to be just big enough as the little creature flew down, head first. A minute passed, then: "I found him! He's unconscious, though."

"Chrono, you've been listening?" Signum called, and was rewarded when a window with his image opened.

"Yes, but we still can't get a lock on him," Chrono replied. "We can just barely detect his lifeforce, now that Tea has opened up a hole through the minerals."

"Agito, can you unison with Yuuno to boost his life signs enough for a lock?" Tea shouted down the hole.

"I think so," she shouted back. "It's harder with those unconscious, but I'll try."

"That did it, we've got a lock, teleporting him aboard!" Chrono announced.

"Good," Signum said, relieved, then turned to the gun agent. "Why don't you return to the ship for now to check on those two. Fate and I can fly, so we can search for Arf."

Teana turned to her and bowed, as if to say "Thank you."

x~~*~~x

The cup of tea slipped from her hands, hitting the ground and breaking in two.

"Nanoha-chan?" Arisa asked, concerned. "What is it?" Her friend had just received a text message, that seemed to disturb her greatly; she was just staring at the floating screen. Receiving no response, Arisa stood up and went around to see what it was about.

She gasped as she read the short message: "Nanoha, this is Subaru; Arf currently missing, but Fate and Signum are continuing to search. Yuuno is unconscious and possibly in a coma. I'm sorry."

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Chapter 4 cleanup rewrite complete. Sometimes I wonder how people managed to read through this with the mistakes and badly worded phrases, heh.


	5. Loss and Rebuilding

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 5: Loss and Rebuilding**

Xx~~*~~xX

"Shamal said he won't be asleep too long," Fate tried to tell her. "He'll wake up eventually. You know she's the best doctor around."

Nanoha could only place her hands on the unconscious Yuuno's from where she sat, as he lay in the hospital bed in TSAB headquarters. Arisa and Suzuka sat on the other side of the bed. Yuuno was their close friend, too, despite the fact they had only known him as a ferret for almost a year. They wouldn't be able to surprise Fate with their presence on Mid-childa at the planned surprise party, but they knew they had to be here anyway.

Fate sighed as she saw a couple of teardrops land on the back of Nanoha's hand, from her lowered head. She leaned down to hug Nanoha from the side.

"I remember the first time we saw him," Arisa reminisced. "We were wondering what was going on when Nanoha-chan ran off. And there was an injured ferret."

Suzuka smiled a bit. "Knowing what we do now, all their actions over those few months made sense. He always seemed to be very smart for an animal."

Arisa blushed a bit and turned to the side, a scowl on her face. "And I've never quite forgiven him for not letting us know he was a boy and allowing me to take him into the bath!"

Suzuka's smile widened a bit more and all three girls heads were drawn to the giggle, followed by a sniff, as Nanoha brought her head up and wiped her eyes.

"Thanks, you two, I needed that," Nanoha told them. "It was a shock for me, too, finding out who he was. He introduced me to magic and changed my life. I don't think I can ever repay him. I just wish I had been there."

"There was nothing any of us could have done," Fate insisted, trying to get through to her friend. "Subaru and Teana feel bad, too, for not being able to help him sooner. They don't know which one of them was responsible for the rock that was dislodged and hit him in the head. But he'll wake up and be fine, you'll see."

Nanoha smiled and took hold of one of Fate's hands. "And here I am, completely forgetting that Arf is still missing, totally ignoring how you're feeling."

"Arf is still alive," Fate informed her matter-of-factly. "There is a constant link between master and familiar. If she were dead, I'd know. If she's alive, then we can assume she was captured. Which means we WILL get her back, too." She looked across the bed. "Arisa, Suzuka, can I see you two in the hall for a moment? You too, Agito."

The two girls nodded, understanding. As they got up, a small figure lifted off from the corner and floated over to follow Fate. But before she reached the door, Agito sighed and flew back over to the pony-tailed girl to whisper into her ear.

Fate could hear Nanoha's sharp intake of breath, then saw her nod and thank Agito, who flew out of the room. Fate took one last look at the two in the room, then shut the door to give them some privacy.

x~~*~~x

"Fate, how is she?" Subaru asked nervously.

"She'll be fine," the agent replied. "Nanoha is strong. How are you doing, Subaru?"

The mage cyborg flexed her right leg a bit to demonstrate the whining noise. "Repairs to my systems are good, although my right leg needs a few more fixes. And my head is a little woozy. I had a slight concussion."

Fate nodded. "Alright, you'll have to sit out for now. Nanoha will come out of that door soon and will want to go bash some heads. I know you'll want to go, but if you want to help, you can watch Yuuno and do some research. What have we got for leads?"

"Not much," Chrono admitted. "Even if we assume Jail is involved somehow, there's no way to know for certain, and it doesn't gain us anything. Subaru might have something, though."

Teana nudged her friend who was looking downcast about sitting out. "Well, I didn't want to say, because I don't really think it's the case, but...."

"But what?" Fate prodded. "Anything at all can help."

Subaru sighed. "I got the distinct impression that I was being attacked by cyborgs. The energy attacks didn't feel magical. I didn't want to say, because I don't think my sisters are responsible."

"They might not be," Signum offered. "For all we know, Jail had made other cyborgs. Or they might not realize what they are doing."

"Signum's right," Teana agreed. "You should head home and talk to Ginga. See if your sisters have been acting funny lately. Maybe they are being mind-controlled, like Lutecia was. At the very least, we could eliminate them from being suspect."

"And I'll head over to the St. Church," Chrono added. "I can talk with Carim and Schach. They have the cyborgs Sein, Otto, and Deed with them."

Fate nodded. "I have a couple of leads I would like to follow up, too, by myself. I'll leave Teana with you for now, Subaru. If you'll excuse me."

Teana stared at Fate's retreating back, waiting until she was out of earshot. "There she goes again! She's been acting strangely lately, and I can't figure out why." She stomped her foot.

"What do you mean?" Subaru inquired, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I've been working with Fate for a long time now, and we've always followed up every lead, no matter how small, together," Teana answered. "But lately, she's been acting different. She doesn't want to go interrogate Jail, and now she's going off on her own."

"Probably with good reason," came a new voice. The group turned to see Nanoha closing Yuuno's door behind him.

"Nanoha-chan!" Arisa and Suzuka ran up to either side of her, each taking a hand. "Are you okay," the former asked.

She nodded. "I'll be alright, and thank you. But I'll need you two to watch Yuuno-kun for me, for a few days."

Teana and Subaru promptly bowed low from the waist.

"We're so sorry!"

"I'm sorry I didn't rescue him sooner, Nanoha!"

The Ace-of-aces put a hand on each of their shoulders. "It's alright. We can't all go around blaming ourselves for things. Not when we have a mission to accomplish."

The two straightened up as they were hugged, then released.

"But Fate has a point," Nanoha continued. "Jail won't tell us a thing. Either he doesn't know, or he has a plan and obviously won't let us in on it." She smiled mischievously. "However, I do have an idea of who we could ask."

As the group moved off, Signum noticed her unison partner was hanging back a bit. "Something wrong, Agito?"

The demon girl watched the backs of the group. "I think I'm beginning to understand why you all have such a strong bond with each other."

Signum smiled, as she took hold of Agito and set her on her shoulder, then started walking to catch up. "Ah, indeed."

x~~*~~x

"...but Shamal says she's pretty sure he'll be okay," Hayate was saying from the monitor screen. "How are you two doing?"

"Zafira and I just landed on this planet," Vita replied. "We'll be taking a shuttle out to the Wildlife Preserve within the hour. But I just talked to the director there. He said Erio and Caro had departed awhile ago, and hadn't checked in yet, although communications can be sparse there at times. Based on what you've said, though, I have a bad feeling about this."

"Me, too," Hayate agreed. "Do what you can to find them, and see if you can bring them here. I've been talking with Colonel Nakajima, along with the rest of the generals. They seem a bit more eager this time to cooperate with my plans." She half-smiled. "I think they're hoping to get some of the glory this time."

"You're reforming Section Six?" Vita asked, surprised.

Hayate shook her head. "No, the current units are already stretched thin. The ground forces lost quite a bit of manpower due to the JS incident. The combination of the Peace conference attack, the Einherjar attacks, and the Cradle battle have taken their toll. I might be able to roll one or two of the ground units together, though, for a joint mission objective."

"Don't push yourself too hard," Vita reminded her. "And make sure Nanoha doesn't, either. The last thing we need is for her to overdo it again."

"You have my word," Hayate assured her, nodding solemnly. "Nanoha has done a lot, for a lot of people. You and I both her owe her much."

Vita and Hayate looked at each other in silence for a few moments, both understanding their vow: they would protect Nanoha from herself if need be.

"But for now, Zafira and I will go make sure those two kids are okay," Vita said at last. "I'll contact you again when I have something to report."

"Acknowledged," Hayate replied, then signed off.

Vita turned to look at Zafira, who was standing against the wall nearby in human-form, having heard everything. He shared the same look with Vita, then the two walked off to the shuttle area of the spaceport.

x~~*~~x

The person in the cell raised her head, took note of her visitor, and sighed. "Why are you here again?"

Nanoha stepped fully into the light with a gentle smile. "You ask me that every time I'm here. Don't you want someone to talk to?"

"Ha!" Quattro scoffed. "Week after week you show up to visit, and what for? I helped kidnap and torture that little runt of yours. I hurt many of your friends. You won. You're supposed to leave your enemies to rot."

"I told you the first time I came," Nanoha responded, not seemingly fazed in the least. "I've fought many enemies that have hurt me badly. But that's doesn't mean we have to stay enemies. I know the doctor created you, used you, programmed you."

"You keep saying that, but I still chose what I did," Quattro snapped back. "All your pretty words don't mean anything. I used the doctor, too. And used my sisters."

"And that's all you want out of life?" Nanoha asked. "To use people? Don't you want friends or a real family? Most of your sisters are finding a nice life outside. What do you want, really?"

"Good for them," the #4 cyborg responded drily, ignoring the last question. "So what's your real reason for today's visit? You've been coming often enough, that I can tell you want something this time."

The visitor nodded. "You're right, I do have an added motive for today. We've been tracking a number of incidents lately, that involve gadget drones and possible cyborg attacks. Were you aware of any other plans Jail may have had, beyond the Cradle?"

Quattro stared at her, then sighed. "No. But I figured he had some sort of backup plan. That's why he put his genetic code in us. If he didn't reset our internal timer occasionally, his code would impregnate us, and advanced gestation would produce another him in a month or two. At least that was the case, until the TSAB deactivated those particular devices inside us. That makes me think he had something else planned if it failed."

"You can't think of anything else he might have said or did, which didn't relate to the Saint and Cradle project?"

"Only that I think the Relics might have been meant for something else," she replied, leaning back in her bunk and tracing a finger against the wall. "I don't think he needed as many as he obtained, so I don't know what he might have been stockpiling them for." She paused and shrugged. "And why would you believe me anyway?"

Nanoha smiled at her again, which made Quattro feel uncomfortable inside. "Because you need a friend. Someone to trust you, and who better than one you have hurt the worst?"

Quattro scoffed again. "Oh please, don't hide it; you just want information out of me."

"While I would like information, I also want to be your friend," Nanoha said quietly. "I'll keep coming back, even after this over, for as long as it takes."

The cyborg turned away, facing the wall. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted Nanoha to be able to read her expression at the moment. "So, what else do you want? You're still here, so I assume you want something more."

"Yes, a friend of ours has been captured. Do you have any idea where she might have been taken, if Jail's plans were involved?"

Quattro was silent for a moment. "I told the TSAB everything they wanted to know... but... there were a couple of locations that we abandoned early after I was born. I don't know what, if anything was going on there, though, as the doctor didn't say anything about them. I only know about them from seeing their deactivated status in the database. Not sure if your friend could be there, or if you'll find anything."

A green screen appeared near Quattro, who typed in the locations, then watched it disappear.

"Thank you, Quattro-san," Nanoha told her, bowing. "There is hope for you. And I will see what I can do about your sentence."

"I still don't care about you or your friends," the other woman declared, still not daring to face her visitor. "You're walking into a trap, and as far as I'm concerned, every one of you can rot there. Now get lost, I'm tired."

Nanoha bowed again, then stepped away, leaving Quattro alone with her uneasiness. [That girl gives me the creeps.]

"[Are they gone?]"

"[Yes, Doctor, Nanoha just left with her friend, hidden in the shadows,]" Quattro replied, through their subspace link.

"[And you gave them the locations of the research bases?]" he asked. Quattro replied in the affirmative. "[What's the matter? Having second thoughts?]"

"[Absolutely not!]" she shot back, fiercely. "[The sooner I can get out of this place and away from her, the better. The girl makes me sick.]"

"[Then I have good news for you,]" Quattro could hear the doctor grinning. "[My subspace link has finally located where Tre is and I've made contact. We will make our escape soon.]" The cyborg could hear him laughing in her mind; it was almost nauseating. "[The fools have their magical telepathy, but they didn't for a moment think I couldn't duplicate that through pure technology as well! Be ready!]"

"[Yes, Doctor,]" Quattro replied, obediently.

x~~*~~x

"I honestly didn't think you'd get anything out of her," Teana admitted, as the two walked through the prison complex. "Hell, I didn't think you'd even talk to her again. Aren't you mad because of what she did to your daughter!?"

Nanoha half-smiled. "Of course I was. But Vivio is okay now. There is an old saying on my planet: 'The best way to defeat your enemies, is to make them your friends.' I've been trying to do that, even before I heard about it, for a long time."

Teana shook her head. "Sounds crazy to me. What if she had killed Vivio? Could you still try to be friends with her? What if Yuuno dies?"

The young mother inhaled and exhaled slowly, before responding. "I don't know. But I believe if you try your hardest, and believe with all your heart and soul, than you can avoid things like that. Anger, while understandable, will hurt you the most if you let it go on too long. A grudge is a cancer that will eat away at you, and prevent you from accomplishing your goals." She turned to smile at the gun mage. "And if you've learned something, then it's worth it."

"Maybe...." Teana sounded unsure. "I hated the Bureau for what they did to my brother. I know I couldn't do anything to prevent his death. So I don't know...."

Nanoha placed a hand on her shoulder. "But you are here, now, and because of that, many have lived. Subaru, Erio, and Caro owe their lives to you, because you worked to show what you were made of. You led them well, when you were in the forwards. Without you taking on those three cyborgs, the others might have been overwhelmed. Continue to put your strength into something positive like that, and you know your brother would be proud of you."

Teana sighed in defeat. "How do you do that?"

Nanoha just giggled, as the two girls entered the shuttle bay.

x~~*~~x

"I found him!"

Caro limped excitedly over to where Erio called from, using the branch he had found for her as a crutch. In return, she had made a splint and sling for his arm, using parts of her skirt and his jacket. She watched as Erio carefully scooped up Fried from the bushes and handed him to her, who took him and sat down against a tree.

"How is he?" Erio asked, sitting down next to her.

"I'm not sure," she replied, stroking him softly. He barely uttered a squeak, before going to sleep. "I almost feels as if he's sick. I have a sort of connection to him, usually. But ever since the fall, it's been hard to sense him."

"Yeah, when I was boosting us out of that hole, my connection to Strada seemed kinda funny, too," he admitted. "It was like my attempts to control it, were going awry. I'd think right, and it would go left."

Caro looked up at him, cocking her head slightly. "Now that I think about it, if the two are connected, it might make sense."

"How so?"

"Well, I told you dragons are more magically-attuned than most creatures," she explained. "Well, it's more than that; they actually use a bit of magic to fly and breathe fire. I use magic to increase his size, but he's the one who controls that after I've made him grow. If he suddenly couldn't control it, then it might explain why he feels this way, and why my connection with him is weaker." Her face grew worried. "We need to get out of here, Erio."

"We will," he assured her. "We've been out here awhile, so I'm sure they plan to send rescue parties soon. And even if they don't, I think we just need to get farther away from this particular area. Fried seemed fine until we got here. But first, we need to get some rest. We're both injured, and pushing ourselves won't do any of us any good."

x~~*~~x

Arf's eyes slowly drifted open, then realized the added light was amplifying her headache. Seething, she dragged herself into a sitting position while dabbing her head with her hand, and took a look around.

Her first discovery was that she was in a cell with bars. The room just outside her cell made it look less like a jail cell, and more like an experimentation room. There was a table with straps to hold down a subject, and several cabinets lining the dirty linoleum walls. A broken sink with a rusty faucet dripped nearby, and an overhead light barely glowed, flickering occasionally.

Arf got the impression she wasn't going to get any visitors soon.

Her next major discovery, was that she had a cellmate. She almost missed this fact, since said cellmate was covered in a dirty brown cloth and laying in the corner, barely moving. It was only a low moan that drew her attention.

"Hey, are you okay?" the familiar asked, reaching over to touch the form. "Did your captors hurt you?"

"Nnn!" The person turned a bit, exposing a green eye and part of her face from the hood, and then jerked away from Arf's hand.

Arf frowned, pulling her arm back, double-checking to make sure she was in her human adult form. "I'm sorry if I frightened you. My name is Arf. What's yours?"

The figure sat up, looking at her with the one eye, but there didn't seem to be much life behind it.

"Well, I don't suppose you could tell me where are captors are, or what they want from us?" Arf sighed as the figure looked away, apparently having lost interest. "Well, I'm gonna get out of here."

She stood up and grasped the bars and pulled... and pulled. After several minutes of strain, she gave up.

"Of course, that would be too easy," she remarked, then turned back to the figure. "I'm gonna change into a big doggy, but don't worry, I won't hurt you, okay?"

The shrouded figure seemed to ignore her, so Arf sighed and changed form, with some difficulty. She felt some relief that her cellmate didn't seem fazed at all. But she also felt disappointment when she discovered she couldn't pull up her magic, nor could she bite through the cell bars. She wondered if there was some sort of AMF present. That would make sense if it was a cell for holding magical subjects. Arf changed back into woman form and sat down.

"Hmmm, that's out. I'm gonna have to think of something else, or hope that Subaru or someone knows where I am." She paused, studying her cellmate again, then started to move slowly towards it again. "You don't seem well, so I'm going to check you. Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."

The figure watched her approach, shivering as Arf slowly reached up and pushed the hood away, revealing the smudged face of a girl underneath; a girl with mid length dirty-white hair and blue-green eyes.

[If I had to guess, I'd say she was late teens, or early twenties,] Arf thought. [She'd probably be quite attractive if she was cleaned up.] She pressed her hand to the girl's forehead. [Hmm, doesn't seem warm, so that can't be the problem.]

The girl reached out to press her own hand against Arf's head, causing the latter to pause in fascination, then smile. "You want to check to see if I'm okay, too?"

The girl smiled a bit awkwardly, too, then withdraw her hand, returning to her zombie-like state.

"Well,we're gonna be cellmates for awhile, until I can think of something," Arf thought aloud. "But it seems like you've been through something. I promise, when we get out of here, I have some friends that can help you. For now, though, I guess we're stuck with each other."

Arf looked up, wondering what Fate and the rest of her friends were doing, and if Subaru and Yuuno were okay. Did she manage to save him? [Ironic that I'm the one that needs saving now,] she thought darkly. [Oh Arf, what have you got yourself into?]

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Oh Quattro, how I love thee, let me count the ways.... She's always fascinated me as a character, although I admit I liked her glasses form better, heh. Chapter 5 cleanup finished. Oh, and good C&C is always welcome.


	6. This Feeling is Familiar?

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 6: This Feeling is Familiar?**

Xx~~*~~xX

Signum marveled at how easily the drones fell. Of course, she was in unison with Agito at the moment, but she probably didn't need it. Then again, it was to keep her current partner from actually fighting. Her secret orders had been to handle the assault as much as possible, so Nanoha could withhold her strength.

"Okay, let's move in," Signum said, sheathing her sword. "According to intel, the entrance to the facility should be just ahead. Judging by the welcoming party, I'd say we're on the right track."

"Agreed," Nanoha confirmed, then smiled. "And don't worry, I'll hang back and only jump in if needed. Although I think you guys are overdoing it a bit; I feel fine!"

"Ah, perhaps," the Belkan Knight, replied, canceling her unison for the moment. "Let's go."

The trio flew ahead, low to the ground. Of the two research facilities that Quattro gave up, Nanoha, Signum, and Agito were given this one. Fate and Teana were on another world investigating the other. It was decided to handle both at the same time, so one couldn't warn the other and give time for anyone inside to escape.

But so far resistance was minimal; just a few security drones. Signum wondered if Teana and Fate were having it this easy.

x~~*~~x

"This is too easy," Teana whispered, and Fate had to agree.

"It looks like this place might have been abandoned for some time," Fate reasoned aloud. She motioned for Teana to cover the next doorway.

Ever since they landed and infiltrated the facility, they had yet to encounter another living soul. Or even dead or inanimate ones, for that matter. The facility itself was several buildings nestled under a cliff, but there were corridors that stretched down underground, which is where the pair were now. Despite the lack of active obstacles, they still had to proceed carefully. The place was run down, and already some of the areas had collapsed or had bad flooring. Plus, there was always the danger of booby traps being left behind.

The gun mage lowered the scope from her eye. "This next area looks safe, I don't detect anything."

Fate nodded as they left the corridor and entered what looked like a storage area. "Incubation chambers, but all empty. Whoever was here, it looks like they did some biological experiments."

Tea coughed a few times as she brushed the bottom of one of them. "This one's label says... 'Project D Clone VIII.' I wonder what it means?"

"I'm not sure," Fate replied. "We'll have a full team investigate this place later. For now, let's keep searching." She had a sinking feeling that if the place was truly deserted, then it meant Arf wouldn't be here.

"Well, I hope if Nanoha, Signum, and Agito are having better luck than we are," Teana stated, as they left the storage are via the door on the far side, then paused. "Do you hear that?"

Fate cocked her head to the side, straining her ears; she could just barely hear it. "Sounds like it's coming from somewhere down below." Her heart lifted a bit, as it almost sounded like a voice, mixed with a log of clanging noises.

"Where's a staircase or elevator when you need one?" the junior agent wondered aloud, looking around.

"Scythe form," Bardiche intoned, causing Tea to turn back to her partner, then back up as she got the hint.

"We'll make one!" Fate nearly yelled, lifting her device up and growing more determined. If Arf was here, she was going to find her!

She leapt back after twin slashes, the floor where she was just standing collapsing and opening up a hole to the level below. The pair dropped down, and with one glance at her partner, confirmed that Teana had recognized the voice, too. More urgently this time, Fate repeated her earlier maneuver, dropping both girls down another level.

As the dust cleared, Fate scanned the new room, her gaze locking onto the far end. "Arf!"

x~~*~~x

"This isn't good, they'll be here soon," the male in the white lab frock said, checking the computer display while he adjusted his glasses.

"What do we do?" the female scientist wearing a similar frock asked, worried. "We can't be caught here. The doctor said we'd be safe to do our research here!"

The male sighed, and gestured at the subject on the other side of the observation window. "We'll have to wake HIM up."

"We can't!" she pleaded. "He's not quite ready. The programming isn't fully complete!"

"We don't have a choice!" the man shot back, pounding the table. "They've almost completely wiped out the drones the doctor left us! While he provides a distraction, we'll slip out the back."

The female sighed, cringing at the explosions several levels above. "You're right, fine, let me do it."

The male scientist nodded, as the woman tapped away at the controls.

In the room past the glass, the brown eyes of a young man laying on a table flashed open and he immediately demanded to know: "Where am I? Where is SHE!?"

Nervously, the male scientist leaned over to speak into the microphone, his voice sounding into the room. "She was taken by the mages who are attacking us. We can't handle them, so we are escaping. You should as well."

The subject's eyes narrowed in anger as he sat up, ripping off the pads that were monitoring his vitals. "They'll pay for this; I'll get her back!"

He reached behind and pulled his black hood down over his head, leaving just his eyes uncovered through the mask, then picked up a kodachi blade resting against the wall. Slashing at the observation windows from several meters away, the resulting wind pressure shattered them outward, forcing the scientist pair to cower down to protect themselves from the flying glass.

They stared at each other in helplessness and nervousness, as their research specimen ran out the door.

x~~*~~x

Agito dusted off her hands after finishing off the latest drone, noting with satisfaction that the wide corridor was clear. She flashed a thumbs up at her companions and grinned.

"Too easy!" the little fiery demon exclaimed.

"Indeed," her master replied gruffly, noting the corridors resembled the ones in Jail's last base. "But what they could be guarding? What is this place for?"

Nanoha brought up her staff. "Status?"

"Wide-Area Search 80% complete," Raging Heart informed them. "Three human life-signs detected two levels down."

"Thank you," Nanoha told her device. "It seems this place has people in it after all. Are there any other exits other than the way we came in?"

"Affirmative," came the prompt reply. "One other entrance has been detected."

"Agito, can you head to that exit and seal it off?" Signum asked. "We'll chase down the suspects."

"No problem!" she replied proudly, saluting, then taking off down a side corridor at rapid speeds following a pink ball Nanoha had created for her.

"That should get her there," Nanoha explained, then paused as she received a long range communication. "Message from Chrono; Fate and Tea found Arf, and another girl. They are securing her now."

The other woman nodded. "Good, that just leaves-"

"GIVE HER BACK!"

x~~*~~x

Very few thoughts went through his head as he switched from running to flying through the corridors. He could only think about HER. He had been searching for her for a long time, although he wasn't exactly sure when and how it started. He just knew he had to find her, his emotions flaring and driving him on.

Then he turned a corner.

"...and another girl. They are securing her now."

Rage drowned out what the other woman was saying as red tinted his vision. [They did take her!]

Drawing his kodachi and focusing the wind around him, he sped forward nearly head first, straight at them. "GIVE HER BACK!"

x~~*~~x

Nanoha was almost taken by surprise, but her device reacted faster. "Protection Powered!"

Sword impacted barrier in a shower of sparks, the TSAB Ace staring in surprise at the man's sudden appearance and attack. Black cloth covered his entire body, except for his eyes, making him look very much like a ninja. And there was something about those brown eyes....

She almost didn't register that her shield was being penetrated, until Signum lunged from the side, Levantine arcing down in a powerful slice. The man twisted his body, slicing his own sword upwards to meet and block it. At the time of impact, he thrust out his free hand and there was a strong gust of wind that sent the Belkan Knight flying backwards down one of the hallways in the T-intersection.

"Who are you?" Nanoha demanded to know. "Why are you-"

She didn't get a chance to finish as the ninja lunged at her, swinging. She put up a Round Shield this time to deflect his attack, but something seemed off.

[He's swinging from too far away?] was all she could think, until she saw the blade of vacuum energy flying towards her. She adjusted the shield to knock it aside, and was surprised when it cut through after a moment of resistance. Nanoha flung her body to the side in alarm as the edge of the vacuum blade cut into the shoulder of her barrier jacket and continued on.

She turned back to get ready for the next attack, but her opponent was gone. That confusion lasted all of a moment, before she heard the clang of sword against sword around the corner, and the chunk of a cartridge being loaded.

"Sword Flash!" Nanoha heard Signum shout as the former rounded the corner.

The two combatant's swords were locked against each other, as Levantine burst into flame. Nanoha tried to work up a bind spell to hold him in place, but the ninja was quick and vaulted over Signum, letting her stumble forward. Nanoha's binding rings kept missing the man's limbs.

"[Nanoha, I'll try to hold him in place and you shoot both of us,]" the Belkan Knight's mental command came.

"[Understood, I'll support until we get an opening,]" the TSAB Ace replied. "Divine Shooter!"

Five pink orbs popped into existence around her while Signum squatted low to the ground and swung behind her, aiming for the man's legs. The ninja leapt over her sword as she twisted her body and rolled quickly underneath him.

"SHOOT!" Nanoha cried, sending all five orbs streaking towards their airborne opponent.

The mysterious assailant spun his body, swinging his sword three times in quick succession, sending out three vacuum blades that cut through three of Nanoha's shots, then cutting the other two apart with his sword.

Raging Heart's red orb blinked. "Flash Move!"

With long practiced teamwork, Nanoha shot forward, dodging the three vacuum blades that were heading her, aiming to hit the ninja as he landed. From the other side, Signum vaulted to her feet and swung Levantine, as the duo planned to strike at the same time.

[He can't block us both,] Nanoha reasoned, but in the next instant, was shocked as the single sword became two, and he blocked both Raging Heart and Levantine at the same time. For a moment, all three paused.

"Attacking a TSAB mage is grounds for arrest," Signum told him solemnly. "If you desist now, no charges will be filed."

"Please tell us why you are doing this!" Nanoha implored him. "Why are you here?"

The brown eyes behind the face mask seemed to grow angrier. "Shut up! You'll take me just the way you took her!" The voice was somewhat muffled due to the mask, but to Nanoha, it almost sounded familiar.

In a surprising move, the man dropped his swords and opened his palms, pointing an open hand at each woman as a gray mid-childan magical symbol flared to life underneath him. "Tornado Flash!" A horizontal vortex of wind spun out of each hand, blowing both TSAB mages back.

As Nanoha flew backwards, she pointed her staff down the corridor, converting to shooting mode. "Divine..."

Signum lashed out with Levantine at the same time as it popped a cartridged and announced, "Schlangenform!" The long coil of snake form snagged the man's ankle.

"...Buster!" Nanoha finished. Dark pink energy erupted from Raging heart, nearly filling the long corridor, as Signum threw up her barrier.

The ninja threw something to the ground and white smoke exploded on his position an instant before the Buster hit... and passed harmlessly through. The Belkan Knight gritted her teeth and crossed her arms in front of her face as the blast struck her, then spun to the side to let the majority pass on by.

When it was over, the corridor was clear, except for the two TSAB mages.

"Where did he go?" Nanoha asked in disbelief. "Did he teleport?"

The other woman picked herself up off the floor. "I'm not sure, but I think it was just a speed move. There's no way to know where he went. He got away. I am sorry."

"Location lost," Raging Heart informed them. "Unable to track within boundaries."

Nanoha sighed. "It's alright, he was fast. Faster than I've seen Fate move sometimes." Something was strange about him, but she couldn't put it together in her head.

"[Signum, Nanoha, I caught a couple of people trying to escape,]" Agito sent suddenly. "[Can I torch them?]" Both women could hear the eagerness in the voice.

"[Negative,]" the Belkan Knight replied ruefully. "[Nanoha and I will be there soon. We need answers out of them.]"

"[Aww....]" came the disappointed reply.

"Nanoha?" Signum queried, taking note of the gash in the other woman's barrier jacket shoulder pad. There was a tinge of red there. "Are you okay?"

The TSAB Ace shook herself and nodded. "I'm fine, it's just a light cut. Let's go meet up with Agito."

As the two walked, Signum added. "Let's get something to eat when we get back. My treat."

"You're paying?" Nanoha asked, surprised. [She probably trying to get my mind off it.] She smiled and nodded. "Okay!"

x~~*~~x

"Are you sure about what you saw, Arf?" Fate questioned, trying to make doubly sure.

Arf nodded, helping her former cellmate along as they walked out of the facility. "I got a good look at the face before I was hit." She paused. "At least I'm mostly sure what I saw."

"This could be trouble, then, if they are getting involved again," Teana added, helping support the mysterious girl from the other side. "I wonder how they managed to do it and remain secret, though. How would they know about Yuuno or Suburu and Arf being there at those moments?"

"There is something else going on here," Fate agreed as she stepped outside. "I think-" She paused, noting their new companion. "What's going on with her?"

Arf and Teana were trying to steady the increasingly nervous girl from where they stood behind Fate. She was shaking her head, moaning "No" over and over, in a low voice.

"I don't know!" Arf replied, growing a bit frantic. "She wasn't this excitable back in the cell! Are you alright?"

Tea glanced back and forth from the girl to the door where Fate stood. "Is she afraid of going outside?"

"It's alright, we won't hurt you," Arf soothed, stroking the girls short, white hair. "We just want to take you somewhere to get some help, to make sure you're okay."

That seemed to calm her some, so the pair tried to help her forward again. She was reduced to whimpering quietly, while shaking in fear. At least, to Arf, it felt like fear. She wondered what the girl was so afraid of. Was that why she was left in that place? Because the people who were there, didn't want to bother trying to take her out? Why wouldn't they have just sedated her or something?

"I've informed Chrono that we'll be at the transfer point shortly," Fate told them. "It's just over the next rise."

Arf felt the girl in her grasp freeze, and a glance had her following the mysterious girl's gaze. "The moon?" It hung bright and full in the night sky, and the iris's of the girl's green eyes turned nearly white.

She screamed, and white magical power exploded around her, flinging Arf and Teana away. Fate braced herself, the sheer force of magic pushing her back. Arf shifted to full dog form, and Teana crouched and brought out one of her guns, both using barriers to avoid being blown back. The mysterious woman was enveloped in a column of bright white light, and all three could barely make out her form within.

"Arf, see if you can help bind her, while I attempt to place a seal on her powers!" Fate called out, bring out Bardiche. "Teana, when you get a clear shot, knock her out!"

Both girls replied in the affirmative, Teana taking aim and Arf lashing out with several chains which attempted to wrap themselves around the column of white light. The chains tended to dissolve after a few moments of trying to hold, however.

"Sealing form, set up," Bardiche intoned, four glowing yellow wings springing from the sides.

Fate took aim. "Seal!" A yellow beam erupted from Bardiche, striking the girl through the blinding light.

She seemed to scream louder, but the white column shrunk a bit by bit, and then almost faded. The chains snapped into place as Tea took her shot. Arf shifted to woman form to catch her, and held her gently as she collapsed.

"What was all that about?" Arf asked the question they were all thinking, then noticed Fate studying the girl. "What?"

"Did you happen to see the magic symbol that activated under her when she went berserk?" Fate inquired.

Teana nodded. "It was... a white pentagram. Not a mid-childan circle, or Belkan triangle, or even a summoning square. It looked like there was some kind of star in it."

Arf glanced down at the now unconscious girl in her arms. "What does it mean?"

Fate shook her head after a moment, a brief memory of a pentagram barely surfacing, but she couldn't recall the context of where she had seen it. "I don't know."

Nanoha materialized onto the ship, along with Signum, Agito, and their two scientist captives. They hadn't revealed much under initial questioning, but she figured she'd leave it to Fate to conduct further interrogations. She couldn't get her mind off that mysterious masked man.

Chrono was there to greet them, but there was a somber look on his face. "I'm glad you're both okay; we picked up Fate, Teana and their guest a short while ago."

"What is it?" she asked him, seeing there was something else he wanted to say.

"I have some good news and bad news," he replied. "The good news, is that I just received word a bit ago that Yuuno has awakened."

Nanoha felt her spirit lighten instantly, all other thoughts pushed aside for the moment. "Yuuno....;"

After a minute, Signum asked, "What's the bad news?"

Chrono hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Jail Scaglietti has escaped."

x~~*~~x

Caro's eyes flashed open and she sat up, breathing heavily. She was having the dream again, that had come occasionally over the past several months. She hadn't told anyone else about it yet, because it scared her. To her despair, she noted it was still night, although she didn't know how long she had been sleeping.

Unfortunately, her rapid start jostled her companions awake, as they were huddled together for warmth. Fried woke up and squeaked out a yawn, looking at her. The boy to her side slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Caro?" he asked sleepily. "What is it?"

"Um, nothing," she replied quickly, laying down on her side, her back to him. "Just had a bad dream. Sorry for waking you."

"You sure you're okay?" She could hear the concern in his voice, masked as it was by sleepiness.

She sighed and supposed she might as well tell him, as she didn't want to go back to sleep just yet. "I've been having a dream for the past few months. In it, I'm surrounded by shadows asking where I am. I don't know what it means."

Erio laid down again, his back against hers. "Something to do with being a summoner?"

"I don't know," she confessed.

"Did your village teach you anything about dreams?" he inquired.

"No," she replied sadly. "Some summoners are taught more when they are older, because they can stay in the village. I was banished when I was... Erio?"

The young male mage had sprung to his feet, and was looking around. "Shh, I thought I heard something."

Caro glanced around at the forest surrounding them, but couldn't see much due to darkness. This particular planet had no moon, either. Her ears only picked up occasional animal sounds.

In one smooth motion, Erio brought out Strada and deflected two blades that were heading straight for them, then formed his barrier jacket. Caro followed suit, pulling herself to her feet and forming her own. She recognized those boomerang blades.

"They belong to one of those cyborgs!" she told him. "I-"

She was unable to finish as Erio swung his spear at her. She ducked and closed her eyes, wondering why he would attack her, when she heard a clang. Opening her eyes, she was relieved and surprised, to see Erio had used Strada to block Tre, who was attempting to attack her from her blind side. Moving quickly, she ducked out of the way and began to chant.

"Grant this knight the strength to triumph over his foes," she intoned, opening her eyes. "Kerykeion!"

"Boost up!" her device flashed. "Strength!"

Strada glowed, and Erio yelled, suddenly completing his swing to knock Tre far into the distance. Dozens of boomerang blades appeared in the sky, hurtling towards them. Erio leapt out of the way, while Caro thrust her hands out, wings blossoming on her glove's large jewels.

"Shooting Ray!" she shouted, sending several thin pink beams out to attack the incoming blades. Two were destroyed, but the rest were unaffected. "No way... illusions!?"

Erio swung at Tre as she came in again, but Strada passed straight through her. His look of surprise was short lived, as another Tre appeared behind him and hit him on the back of the head.

"Erio!" Caro cried, then felt something hit the back of her head, and her world went dark.

x~~*~~x

The cyborg watched her sisters, Tre and Sette pick up the unconscious children. "[Doctor, Quattro here. We have the pair who were snooping around area 18. As you figured, it was the summoner brat and her project F boyfriend.]"

"[Excellent, I was hoping for some new specimens to study!]"

His laughter rang throughout her head, but Quattro could only stare at the two kids expressionlessly. Somehow, she couldn't muster up the joy she once did.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Chapter 6 cleanup finished. Nothing much changed here, except clearing up some sections to make things easier to read.


	7. The Past Revisited

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 7: The Past Revisited**

Xx~~*~~xX

Groggily, he slowly opened his eyes. For a moment, he thought that the head resting on his bedside belonged to Nanoha, but after he rubbed his eyes and took a better look, he realized he was mistaken.

Arisa Bannings lifted her head due to the movement in the bed, blinking her own eyes open, then sat up quickly. "Yuuno-kun! Are you okay!? How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, I think," he replied, rubbing the back of his head. "How long have you been here?"

"Suzuka and I have been taking turns watching over you, until Nanoha gets back," she replied, then smiled coyly at him. "She was really worried about you! You gave us all a scare."

He blushed a bit. "Sorry, didn't mean to." He tried to change the subject. "But you being here, must mean you got into the mage training course?"

She grinned, nodding. "Yep! I'm D rank, but I hoping to make C rank after I complete it. But what about you? What were you up to out there that got you attacked?"

Yuuno closed his eyes as his mind drifted back, then opened them again. "That's something I'll need to discuss with everyone. Can you see if you can arrange to gather Nanoha, Fate, Hayate and whoever else they think needs to come?"

"Sure, I'll go now and make a call," she stated, standing up and heading to the door. She paused and turned back. "Did you want me to bring back anything like food or drink?"

"Uh, some water would be good, thanks!"

As she nodded and left the room, Yuuno began putting together what he would say in his head, then opened a few search windows connected to the Infinity Library. There was something he had to make sure of first.

x~~*~~x

"How did he escape?" Fate demanded to know.

Nanoha was only half-focusing on the conversation, as she was still bothered about that ninja she and Signum had fought. She couldn't shake the feel there was something more to him then a guard for the lab, which is what Signum thought. Something about his eyes.

"We're still not sure," Chrono replied in the view screen. "One moment he, and the three cyborgs were in their respective cells. In the next moment they all disappeared. It apparently happened shortly after we deployed to investigate those two research facilities. And there's one more thing odd about it."

Another screen opened, showing the view from the security cameras trained on the cells. As he had explained, the the figures vanished almost at the same time.

"Illusions!" Teana exclaimed, recognizing the way they faded out. "But how could all of them be illusions?"

"The prison staff is unsure," Chrono replied. "They were verified to be real during their last delivered meal. From the style of illusion, it appears to be Quattro's Silver Curtain IS, but they were positive that they deactivated that system in her. She shouldn't have been able to reactivate it, nor broadcast it to the others."

"Unless they were all connected somehow," Fate offered, thinking. "We know that the cyborgs weren't magical, and the prison system is mostly designed for magic users. We must have missed something in our examinations of them."

"That seems obvious now," Chrono agreed. "I'll get back to you when I have more."

As he signed off, Nanoha gazed at Fate, concerned, noting the clenched fist and the tightness in her jaw. "What are you planning, Fate-chan?"

"I'll find him and drag him back in," the golden-haired Bureau agent declared solemnly.

Nanoha's visage softened as she placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Fate-chan, I-"

A view screen popped up, interrupting her. "This is Vita. Is Fate there?"

"Yes, I'm here."

"I'm sorry, but it looks like Erio and Caro have disappeared," she told them. "Zafira and I are still looking, but we found signs of battle, and Zafira can no longer track their scent." Her face hardened. "I'm really sorry we didn't get there in time, but I promise: we WILL find them."

"Thank you, Vita," Fate replied calmly, although Nanoha could see she was anything but calm; she could read the signs easily by now. The other girl's eyes were slightly wider then normal, quivering the tiniest bit, the eyebrows narrowing. She knew what Fate was thinking.

"Yes, thank you, Vita-chan," Nanoha added. "We know you two can do it." After Vita signed off, Nanoha could feel the inner rage inside the normally calm Fate via the barely contained shaking from where her hand rested on Fate's shoulder.

Nanoha briefly met Teana's eyes, and the younger girl nodded and excused herself, walking ahead to Yuuno's room.

"You think Scaglietti is responsible," Nanoha said when Teana was out of range. It wasn't a question.

Fate didn't even nod as she stared into space at something only she could see. "He'll pay for this."

Nanoha placed her other hand on Fate's other shoulder, turning the girl around to face her. "We'll do it as a group, Fate. We're in this together."

Fate seemed to soften a bit, meeting Nanoha's eyes and seeing the concern, kindness, and solidarity there. Nanoha knew her feelings had made it across, as always.

The pony-tailed girl smiled. "Now come on, let's see what Yuuno-kun has to say, and we'll figure out a plan of action!"

Fate seemed to accept this, letting Nanoha take her hand and pull her into Yuuno's room.

x~~*~~x

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Nanoha asked, sitting by his bedside. Arisa was in the room with them, along with Fate, Teana, Arf, Subaru, Signum and Agito.

Yuuno sat up in his bed, letting Nanoha help him with extra pillows to sit back against. "Yes, I want to explain what I know to everyone as soon as possible. I think it might be important."

Nanoha lightly patted his hand, then activated a view screen. "Okay, are you ready to start recording, Hayate-chan?"

The girl on the screen nodded. "Ready when you are, Yuuno-kun."

"When I was attacked, I was doing a search for an ancient city on un-administered world 83," Yuuno began. "The few natives there have a legend, about a group of travelers that showed up there a long time ago, and that these visitors had amazing powers and could perform many miraculous feats. It's a legend I've come across a few times in my archeology studies. On another world, I found the jewel seeds amongst the ruins of one of these cities of travelers.'

He paused for a moment, sharing a knowing look with Fate and Nanoha.

"So I've been wanting to find out who these travelers were, as I've found common markings on several different worlds," he continued, bringing up screens showing the markings. "Each time it was the same; the city of the travelers had some great disaster befall it. This time was no different; if the city was there, it was buried by a volcanic eruption many centuries ago. Only this time, due to the attack, I ended up deep underground and thus was able to find where it may have been. At the end of a long tunnel, I think I found where the traveler's city was... only it was gone. Only a large hole remained."

"The city was blown up AND covered by a volcano?" Subaru asked.

Yuuno shook his head. "No, I don't think so. There was a cavern and the edges were rather smooth, as if it had been buried first, but had some sort of barrier up. And then it was the removed. Here, I'll show you; I've uploaded some of memories of it." He opened several windows of his viewpoint, looking at the giant cavern that curved up and down in almost a giant oval or circle.

"The whole city?" Signum inquired. "Was it teleported out? That would require a lot of magic."

"That would be my guess," Yuuno admitted. "All that was left was a stone that had a plate with a few symbols on it. Before you all arrived here, I did a search of the library to match those symbols. It's an extremely old dialect that hasn't been fully translated, but the best I could make out, was something like 'place of danger' or 'peril' or 'hazard.'"

He took a deep breath. "Other than a very few of my archeology digs, I came up against the same language one other time: during one of my searches through the library on Alhazard."

The sharp inhaled breaths and gasps from some of the people in the room were expected, but as he opened his eyes, he noted some had confused looks on his face.

"What's this alhazard place?" Teana voiced the question for those who didn't know.

Yuuno was going to explain, but was surprised when Fate spoke up first.

"An ancient lost city from long, long ago, even before the age of the Belka," she said quietly. "It supposedly became too technologically advanced and destroyed itself. My mother was looking for it, convinced the secrets there could... help her achieve her goals."

Apparently, Fate hadn't told some of the specific reasons, but he could see Nanoha place her hand on Fate's and squeeze it.

"The planet itself was destroyed, from what I gather," Yuuno added. "But one of the cities is somehow supposed to have survived. I'm not sure it's an actual city, but there had to be survivors, which I think may be these travelers. I should mention, that I partially started this line of study because of the Precia incident. Both as a matter of scholarly interest, and to see if there really was any truth to the rumors, or to Precia's reasoning. Admiral Lindy initially asked me to look into it."

"So it actually exists?" Nanoha asked for confirmation.

Yuuno shook his head again. "I'm still not entirely sure on that. It is possible, but where it is now, I don't know. In the debriefing reports I read on the interrogation of Jail Scaglietti, he claimed to have knowledge from Alhazard. His non-magical technical skills are fairly high; higher than all of the civilizations that are administered, and discovered, by the Administration Bureau."

"That was our assessment as well," Hayate added. "But outside of a few offhand comments, Jail never went into much detail about it."

"There is one other thing that concerns me," Yuuno said, switching subjects. "I assume everyone here is aware of Carim's prophecies. She's asked me to see if I could better translate them, and also help store copies of them in the Infinity Library."

Hayate nodded. "How could I forget. It was the whole reason for the formation of Section Six."

Yuuno smiled sheepishly. "Of course. Well, allow me to restate the most current one some of you have heard before:

'_In the land where ancient crystals and infinite greed gather and intertwine, the wings shall revive from the holy land, beneath the dead king. The dead shall dance, and the tower of law in the central lands shall burn to the ground, but, before this, the ship of law that guards the many seas shall be torn apart._'

"If you parse that carefully, you'll note that the 'ship of law' being torn apart is actually the first thing that is supposed to happen," Yuuno pointed out. "That's something I realized after I initially translated it for her. As we have surmised, that was the Cradle. Which means...."

"Which means it's not over," Hayate finished for him, staring at the young archeologist in horrible realization. "We just assumed it was in chronological order, and attributed anything else to problems with translation."

"If I parsed it correctly, and I'm sure I did this time," the Infinity Librarian continued his explanation, "then the ship of law is the Cradle, as we all assume. Ancient crystals are the relics. I'm not sure what the 'wings from the holy land' could be, although quite a few ancient cultures reference the Alhazard mythos, believing it's existence to be holy. Infinite Greed seems to be a reference to the Jail project the council members initiated.

He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "So the 'tower of law' has yet to burn. You'll remember that, though it was attacked, ground TSAB headquarters didn't really burn, nor was it destroyed." He rubbed his eyes. "I still need to search the library more. I have a feeling there are more clues there."

"Section six did burn, though," Subaru pointed out. "Our rooms, training areas, almost everything suffered damage or was destroyed."

"I considered that," Yuuno replied. "But from the context of the Ancient Belkan I've translated, the word used there clearly indicates a 'spire' or 'tower.'"

Nanoha noted how tired he looked now; she had to remind herself that he was injured, and had just recently awoken. "Is that all, Yuuno-kun?"

He nodded. "I need to get back to the library, but-"

"But nothing," Fate chided him. "You're staying right there until you get better."

"I'll work on getting him any books or information out of the library," Arf volunteered, smiling, getting up and heading for the door. "I'll contact you when I get over there."

The archeologist sighed, chagrined, as he closed floating view screens. He figured his friends wouldn't want him to strain himself so soon. "Alright, thank you."

"Arf, wait," Fate told her. "There's one more thing that needs to be mentioned. Tell them what you told me."

The familiar stopped and turned around, realizing. "I'm not real sure, because the sun was in my eyes and my vision was a bit blurry, but I recognized the girl who knocked me out. From the files I looked over, I believe she is the cyborg known as Nove."

Subaru inhaled sharply. "That can't be... I mean, it felt like cyborgs when I was attacked, but I didn't think my sisters would actually be responsible."

Tea put a hand on her shoulder. "It might not be. We went over this before; there could be another explanation."

Subaru shook her head. "No, I didn't want to mention this before, because I didn't want to believe it, but I went back and talked to Ginga. We weren't able to find exact alibis for our four newest sisters, Dieci, Nove, Cinque and Wendi, at the time of the attacks." She hugged her chest and dropped her gaze, looking almost ashamed.

"We have them under observation for now," Hayate told her in a comforting tone. "I'm having direct interrogations held back at the moment. If the cyborgs are involved, they'll lead us to Jail. If not, I don't want to risk stirring false charges up against them. I'll also see what else I can dig up regarding Jail and his connection to the council."

"What about the girl we found?" Teana asked, switching the subject to take focus off Subaru.

"Shamal is still handling the examinations," Hayate answered. "She's supposed to report to me either later today or tomorrow. Hopefully that will give us a few clues. All I know for now, is that they have to keep her sedated to keep her from going wild. Is there anything else?" When no one responded, she continued: "Alright, get some rest, Yuuno-kun, and everyone else as well. We'll talk again when we have something critical to report. Take care everyone!"

Fate stood up as Hayate signed off. "Teana, Subaru, Signum, Agito, could I see you in the hall for a moment. Arisa, you too, please."

Nanoha started to stand up, too, but Fate gently placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down. She nodded and smiled in thanks.

x~~*~~x

After everyone but the two had left the room, Yuuno took the opportunity to apologize again. "I'm sorry for worrying you and everyone. I shouldn't have gone exploring in that area alone."

Nanoha shook her head, then took his hand. "I should apologize. I realized over these past few days, that I haven't made enough time to visit and talk to you. The most we seem to see of each other nowadays, is when Vivio visits you. Perhaps if I had kept more in touch, I could have gone with you and protected you."

Yuuno gently patted her hand and smiled. "It's alright, I know you're busy. You have a lot of responsibilities, between your duties in the TSAB and taking care of Vivio and Fate."

She lowered her heard. "I still should have made time. I remember that conversation we had all those years ago, on the Asura, about how I always wanted to continue having those talks with you, and somehow I just forgot to."

"Nanoha," Yuuno said quietly, reaching out to lift her chin. "It's fine, really. Smile, okay? You look better with a smile."

She quickly wiped her eyes, realizing they had begun to leak, and then tried to smile as he wanted her to. "Hey Yuuno-kun, let's go out and have some fun when you get better, okay? I want to talk more with you then."

Yuuno's cheeks reddened slightly as he smiled back. "I'd like that."

x~~*~~x

Once outside his room, Nanoha leaned back against the wall next to the door, wiping her eyes again and remembering Agito's whispered words:

"_While he was unconscious during our unison, his subconscious thoughts were strongly focused on you; he loves you."_

It had caught her by surprise, and for awhile she couldn't believe it was true. She had always considered Yuuno a precious friend, but never suspected he might have felt that way about her. Now she was left with the problem of what to do about it.

[Do I even feel the same way?] she asked herself. [What if Agito is wrong? Or what if she's right and he says something? What would I say back?]

She shook her head and lightly slapped her cheek, noticing that they felt warm. The one question she was scared to even internally, was how things might change, for better or for worse. She couldn't, and didn't, want to think about this now; and given the current situation, the distractions she wanted were conveniently available.

Pulling away from the door, she took a deep breath, straightened her uniform, then walked down the hall to join the others.

x~~*~~x

"Well, hello there!" Shari exclaimed. "What brings you two by?"

Suzuka smiled, as a small form holding her hand peaked out from behind her at the other woman in the chair. "I'm taking care of her for this afternoon, while Nanoha and Fate are busy at work, since it was a half-day at school for her. So I'm showing her around where I work."

Shari lowered her face to look at their small guest. "And how is school going for you, Vivio?"

The girl started to open her mouth to reply, but then suddenly ducked back behind her temporary guardian in fright.

"Vivio-chan, what's wrong?" Suzuka asked, curiously. "You've met Shari before, haven't you?"

The senior technician looked puzzled, but then understanding dawned on her. "Oh shoot, I think she's afraid of what I was studying." She indicated the red crystal on the table behind her. "She had a rather traumatic incident with one earlier a year ago, during the JS incident."

Nodding in understanding, Suzuka turned around and bent down to face level with her charge. "It's not going to hurt you, Vivio-chan. We'll never do anything to you that you won't like, we promise."

"I promise, too," Shari added, smiling. "This is just a tool. It's not bad or good by itself, but it all depends on how it's used. Part of my work here, is figuring out tools like this so they can't hurt anybody. And sometimes we find that a tool that has hurt people, to actually be a way to help people if used differently. The only bad thing is to be afraid."

A little bit of understanding seemed to appear in the girl's eyes, displacing some of the fear. "It can help people?"

Shari nodded. "We think so, but we won't be sure until we figure this out."

A small dark shape suddenly leapt from a high ledge and landed gently on Suzuka's shoulder. "Oh, there you are. Have you been a good boy?"

"A kitty!" Vivio nearly squealed, all her fear disappearing. "What's his name?"

Suzuka smiled, taking a hold of the black cat and handing it to Vivio. "This is Mr. Whiskers. He's actually my device, the first one I made, but I like cats so I made him look and act like one. You can play with him if you like, while I talk to Shari."

The little girl was only too eager. "Yay, okay!" She set the cat down, and immediately started chasing it around.

"You sure that's okay?" Shari asked, watching the pair.

The purple-haired girl nodded. "You taught me pretty well. I programmed enough safety parameters into it for dealing with children. But I'm more curious in what you have going on here. What have you got so far? It looks kinda pretty."

Shari swiveled her chair back around and tapped her keyboard, bringing up schematics in several different floating screens. "Not much. We call them Relics. We studied these several months after the JS incident, but the most we could figure out is that they were some sort of magical energy storage device, created back at the days of early Ancient Belka. However, there were extra parts to them which didn't totally fit this theory."

"So there's more to it," Suzuka stated the obvious, her curiosity growing. "Why bring it up again now?"

"Hayate sent me a copy of Yuuno's report from earlier," Shari told her. "It seems these things may still have a role to play, so she got me clearance to do further studies on one of the few we had. The only other clue we have is some texts that say the Ancient Belkans merged these with their bodies for more power." She sat up suddenly. "Oh! Since you're here, this is perfect! Can you use your magical talent to analyze it?"

"Sure!" the other girl replied, more than happy. Using magic always made her feel warm.

Suzuka placed her hands on either side of the crystal. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and concentrated. With long practiced ease, Suzuka began to probe the object with her magic. Data began to pour across her closed eyelids, as the thin tendrils of magic worked their way deeper, identifying the atomic makeup and the various chemicals, crystals, and other substances that the object consisted of. She knew that once she had enough data, her magical talent could usually get a fair idea of what exactly an object did.

Then she found herself sucked in.

Gasping for breath, she felt like she was drowning in a vast ruby ocean, against a similarly-colored sky. Her desperate paddling skills were no use in keeping her afloat against the large rolling waves and rough sea, and she felt herself sinking, trying to hold her breath. She felt herself losing control of her magic as it ran wild, growing in power and intensity, but she couldn't think about that because her lungs were burning and she couldn't hold her breath any longer and....

"Suzuka!" Shari's voice startled her back to reality. "Are you okay?"

The purple-haired girl's eyes flashed open, noting Shari holding both of her hands away from the Relic. "I-I think so."

Shari released the other girl's hands hesitantly. "What happened? You were whimpering pretty badly there for a moment."

Regaining her breath, Suzuka did her best to relate what it felt like.

The senior technician leaned back. "A vast ocean, eh?"

"You know something?" the junior partner asked, sitting down, feeling her pulse and heart rate slowly return to normal. She had never felt something like that before.

"Well, there has been a theory floating around for quite awhile on the nature of magic," Shari began, pulling up a few screens to demonstrate. "Some say magic is a force left over from the creation of the universe, that now functions as sort of... lubricant to make sure things run smoothly between dimensions. If we say these two black squares are dimensions, then this red square between them is the magical plane. Kinda like a sandwich where dimensions are the bread and the meat is the magical plane."

"So when mages perform magic, they are drawing power from this plane?" Suzuka asked, beginning to understand. "Wait, from what I understand, magic is drawn from our bodies and things around us, in the form of mana."

"That's partly true," Shari agreed. "The linker core functions as sort of a special organ, that draws magic, or mana if you will, from the plane and adds it to our bodies. Like a faucet filling a sink with water. Part of it is in this dimension, and it links with the magical plane, hence the name: 'Linker Core.' The larger the linker core, the more magic that can be drawn. So a mage pulls the gathered mana from their body to perform a spell. Most people just assume the mana is drawn from all around us, but because we can't see it, there isn't much of a way to test. But there are planes that intersect ours, being just invisible to us. If the theory is true, anyway."

Suzuka nodded, leaning back and tapping her chin. "That almost does make sense. On my planet, science tells us that energy has to come from somewhere, so it was quite hard to believe in magic even though I saw it in action. But if it's being drawn from another plane, then it makes sense; the supply would be huge. I also assume spent magic returns there when it dissipates, kinda like water in a cycle. That would explain why my mind interpreted it as an ocean."

"During the JS incident, Nanoha told me the ship informed them it was cutting magical links," Shari went on. "It wasn't an AMF, as she couldn't draw upon any magic at all. The ship may have very well somehow shut off connection to the magical plane within it's boundaries." She swiveled her chair to look at the relic again, shining silently. "And if what you said is true, I think the Relic isn't exactly a battery, but a kind of artificial linker core. Ancient Belkans must have found a way to manufacture them, to vastly increase their abilities by increasing the amount of magic they could draw from the magical plane."

"Sounds dangerous, though," Suzuka noted, thinking of the implications. "I'm not sure a body could support drawing so much magic. Unless it was handled carefully, a person would burn themselves out."

Shari nodded. "It probably has to do with specific genetics. Like the cyborgs, the young were probably modified to be able to accept a Relic as a power booster. Vivio was able to use one, but she is also a genetic descendant of the last Ancient Belkan King, the Saint Kaiser. However, the ship was also able to take control of her because of it."

The two girls stared at the relic for awhile in silence, watching it glisten and turn slowly, then Suzuka said: "Well, I better be going. I have a few more errands to run with Vivio, before I drop her off at home later."

"Well, thanks for your help as always, Suzuka," Shari told her as the two stood. "This will definitely help my research."

The purple-haired girl smiled. "Anytime! Vivio, are you ready to go?"

As if on cue, the smaller girl practically appeared at Suzuka's feet, holding the cat device. "Aww, I wanted to play with Mr. Whiskers some more...."

Suzuka tussled her hair. "We can come back another time, or I can bring him along to visit you and your mamas some other time, okay?"

Vivio reluctantly let the cat go. "Okaaay..."

x~~*~~x

Vivio had actually been paying attention to the two girls' discussion. She was chasing and playing with the cat for a bit initially, but stopped when Suzuka started whimpering. She couldn't understand everything they were saying, but she was trying to get over her fear and understand what the shiny red thing actually was.

She touched her chest, just below where it connected with her neck, knowing that's where her linker core was. That's where the red crystal had been, too. It had made her stronger, but she had feared that strength because she had hurt Nanoha-mama with it. She didn't want to hurt her mamas or anyone else like that again.

But from what she could tell, she was kinda special because she could actually use it okay. The thought made her nervous, because she didn't want to go through that again. It was painful when those people put it in her, and it was painful when her mama removed it.

But she also promised her mother she'd be strong. Maybe, if needed, she might be open to using it again sometime....

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Lot of exposition here, so I apologize if you don't like a lot of talk. But there should be more action and combat coming up. Hoped you liked my version of how magic works in this. I connected a few dots and hopefully came up with an interesting theory, that will come into play in future chapters. In the rewrite here, I added a bit more dialogue to tie it in with how magic is perceived in the Nanohaverse. So Shari's explanation is more of an expansion on the general idea.

C&C is always welcome!


	8. Direction

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 8: Direction**

Xx~~*~~xX

"_Where are you?" the voice questioned her._

"_I am here!" Caro cried back, but the darkened shapes around her only barely stirred._

_Again the voice called: "Where are you?"_

_Tears began to run down her cheeks. "I am here, what do you want from me!? Please tell me. I don't understand!"_

_One black shape, almost three times her size, detached itself from the rest and pointed a finger at her. "Come to me, child. It is time." It seemed to stand on two legs, but there were shapes behind it, like four dragonfly wings, and it's face was long like a horse's._

"_Where are you?" she asked back._

_The shape stepped back and dissolved into the rest. "Come find meeeee...."_

x~~*~~x

Caro awoke, panting and feeling her top and long skirt clinging to her body due to sweat. She blearily looked around at the darkened lab she was in, finding herself strapped to a table. The events preceding her blackout came rushing back in full force.

[I was captured by the cyborgs,] she realized glumly. [Erio was, too. I awoke briefly before when they were bringing me here, and they sedated me when they noticed I was awake.]

She tested her bonds, but realized she couldn't break the thick leather straps, nor get her wrists or ankles free. She couldn't summon up any magic, and Kerykeion was gone from her wrist. A groan to her side made her crane her head.

"Erio!" She could just make him out on the edge of her vision. "Erio, are you alright?"

"Oh, he's fine, dear girl," a voice that she recognized as Jail's informed her from some speakers. "I wouldn't hurt my precious test subjects."

"Please, let him go!" she implored him. "I'll do anything you want if you just let him go!"

"That's an interesting proposal, but I'll have to decline for now," he told her. "But just relax, you are in no danger for the moment. Just consider yourselves my guests for the moment. With any luck, you could be back home in a day or two!"

Caro didn't know how to reply to that. She just wanted to get herself and Erio free somehow. But she despaired as she couldn't think of anyway to do that.

"Thanks for the lift, Vice!" Fate told him as she disembarked the helicopter.

The pilot stuck his hand out the window and waved. "My pleasure!"

"You too, Storm Raider!" Yuuno added, following her.

"Alright, my friend!" the device chirped, currently interfaced with the vehicle.

"You two take care of yourselves," Vice told them via communicator as he revved the helicopter up again. "We'll be back in 5-6 hours to check on you, unless you radio sooner. I have some more runs to make."

"Roger," Fate replied, watching the helicopter take off and head for the horizon.

Due to the need for more information, Fate had wracked her brain and shook a latent memory loose. The pentagram magic symbol had been the start, and she finally realized where she had seen it before: it was a picture on one of her mother's notes she had seen as a child.

She also remembered where she had lived most of her life, before the Garden of Time. It was on a small island on the far side of Mid-childa. While there might not be anything left there, she felt it might be worth a look. And if there were any notes or books left, Yuuno had indicated he wanted to take a look through them.

Which had brought them to this location courtesy of Vice. On the surface, it was just a fairly small typical island approximately 6 to 7 kilometers across, covered with jungle, and with a few large hills near the center. Uninhabited, or so the records stated. But Fate remembered living here. She surmised it may still be in existence since it was hidden; Precia wouldn't have wanted anyone, like the TSAB, knowing where she was while she conducted her research.

"So, any idea where to start?" Yuuno asked, surveying the lush jungle.

Fate tapped her lip. "I believe it's somewhere in the center. I can't remember the exact location, but there was a stream nearby with a log bridge. A magical password was required for entry. I'll probably know it when I see it, but it was very long ago."

Yuuno deferred to her lead, and the two took a short flight to the center of the island, then split up to look through the small ravines and hills that were covered in jungle foliage. Surprisingly, it didn't take long to find it, once they discovered the streams flowing from one of the taller hills. The log bridge was even still there, to Fate's surprise, and her memories led her to the rock face partially hidden by a giant tree. A surge of lightning energy at the right place, and the wall slide open.

The pair descended into the darkness beyond.

x~~*~~x

"You said there was something we needed to see?" Signum inquired as her small trio stepped off the shuttle and approached the pair, standing outside the main office.

Vita nodded. "We found a really strange area in the nature preserve, near to where we think Erio and Caro were attacked. Magic doesn't work like it should. In some places, it doesn't go right, and in others it doesn't work at all. But it doesn't feel like an AMF."

"So that's why you wanted me to come along," Subaru said, understanding. "In cyborg mode, my systems won't be affected."

She had obtained special disposition to be attached to Hayate's group for the time-being. Although she wished Tea could have been here; the other girl was handling the investigation of the two research laboratories.

"That's what I'm hoping," Vita acknowledged.

Agito floated down to pat the wolf, who was laying down. "What's wrong with Zafira? Did this area affect him, too?"

He raised his head. "Yes. I am more of a magical being that the others. As I got closer, it became really hard to concentrate and my body grew tired. Even now I still feel the effects somewhat. It seems to be why the other magical creatures have left the area."

Agito drew back. "Wait, I'm more magically-based than humans. It'll affect me the same way!"

"I know, but I need you to here to help coordinate until Zafira is feeling better," Vita told her, which seemed to mollify the little demon.

Signum dropped her bag that doubled as Agito's room. "Alright, Vita, Subaru, shall we be off?"

The other two nodded, and took off flying across the forest, with Signum carrying Subaru.

x~~*~~x

Once they got the few glass lightning orbs lit which functioned like torches, Yuuno had to admit the place was remarkably well-preserved. There was plenty of dust, spiderwebs, and decaying wood, but the small library still had quite a few books and the research laboratory still contained quite a few of Precia's notes. It would take a bit of time to catalog everything, but he had much experience doing so, when he took over getting the Infinity Library in order.

Fate left him to his research, then, to take a look around herself. For a moment, he could see a sad, faraway look in her eyes, but he couldn't think of what to say. He knew what most of what she had gone through with her relationship to her mother, so he could imagine the kind of feelings this place might hold for her.

[All of this probably pulls up memories that aren't entirely pleasant,] he realized. But he also knew Fate was a different woman now, stronger. He had to trust she could handle it.

Sighing, he readied his search algorithms, and the first books began floating off the shelf.

x~~*~~x

She thought she could handle it, anyway. But walking along the empty hallway, the spider webs and creaking floor boards were not the things that gave her pause. She could remember, as if it were yesterday, running down these same corridors, playing with Arf. Her mother was usually busy with her research, but Linith and Arf always had time to spend with her.

"Arf..." she spoke silently.

She had managed to drag out the reasons for Arf's behavior in not talking to them about Yuuno before, and was surprised at her familiar's feelings of uselessness lately. It was true there wasn't much to be taken care of in the Harlaown household anymore, with Fate and Chrono all grown up. Amy had a assumed a full-time mom position to their two kids, so there wasn't much there for Arf to do, except occasional babysitting. It was one of the reasons Arf had taken to staying with the Takamachi household, to look after Vivio and also be in a closer position to assist Yuuno in the library.

Fate shook her head; she had promised to look into more ways Arf could contribute. For now, though, it was imperative to gain clues as to what Scaglietti was up to. Fate was confident that if something was here that could be of use, Yuuno would find it. For her part, she had mostly wanted to face her own inner demons.

Which were manifested in front of her, in the form of the door to her mother's bedroom. Gathering her courage, she turned the dirty brass knob and opened the wooden door.

"_What are you doing in here!?"_

Fate started, almost thinking she heard her mother's voice. But those words were from back then, during the first, and only time, she entered this room. She wouldn't be scared away by ghosts of the past now.

The large, glass lightning orb in the ceiling was still intact; Fate was thankful for small favors. She lit it, walking over to the dresser. The mirror on top was also still intact, but the drawers were all empty. Fate recalled that they left this place without taking much, as Precia had constructed the Garden of Time as a mobile base, and probably planned to return here when Alicia was revived.

That was shortly after Bardiche was completed, and Linith left. For a moment, Fate wondered where the kind woman was now. Earlier searches hadn't managed to locate her, so Fate had given up.

Continuing on, past several paintings, the golden-haired girl came to the royal bed and sat down, disturbing a layer of dust. In curiosity, she opened the small drawers of the nightstand, not expecting to find anything. And thus she was surprised when she found a nondescript medium-sized tome. Her heart speeding up slightly, she picked it up and opened the leather cover.

[Mother's diary...] she realized.

As she leafed through it, she recognized that the entries started just after arriving here, shortly before Fate was born. It ended just before they left for the Garden of Time. Leafing through it, she stopped on a random entry near the beginning, and gasped as she read it:

_He was surprisingly decent about it. I hadn't seen him in many years, but just like that, he sent me the data. I could never put up with his attitude for long, so it was all I could do to ask for help. And now I have my daughter back... but why do I still feel so empty? Why is she not the same? This... biological specimen growing in a jar. This... thing. A freak of nature, a clone. I can't give her Alicia's name. I shall name her after the project: Fate. I won't get rid of her just yet, as she may prove useful._

_It's clear that I must get my real daughter back. Life has no meaning with my dear, sweet Alicia. Did you know this would happen? Was that why you gave me this data, JS? You know me too well, it seems. I never dreamed you would, after you gave me Alicia, and now Fate._

[Steady, Fate,] she told herself, trying to will her shaky hands to stop. [You don't know what that means; Jail can't be right.] She flipped several dozen pages ahead, like a curious girl wanting to see how the story ended.

_All those dead ends. All those years of painstaking research. Solutions just out of reach. Why must I be thwarted at every turn!? I just want my daughter back! It was clear I needed a sufficient source of power. And yet again I find myself in his debt. It was a small message, unsigned, but I know it came from him. The message told me of a discovery that was made by a nomadic tribe of archeologists. They called them "Jewel Seeds" but I know what they really are: a source of power._

_And so I struck at the transport ship, but there was an unforeseen reaction. The crystals weren't properly sealed, and reacted to the mixed desires and the magical combat. I just barely teleported away, my body damaged. I must occupy the Garden of Time sooner than planned; it will be my life support. And Fate will have to be my hand, once I track down the seeds. They couldn't have been destroyed; there was a dimensional rift just before I teleported. It will take some time to locate where they have ended up, so I will step up the girl's training. She must be ready to reclaim them when I find them._

_I will have my daughter back. I must have my daughter back. I can't stand looking at that... fake. The false clone who wears my daughter's face. I will have to destroy her once I revive my sweet precious Alicia..._

Fate slammed the book shut, clutching it to her chest as the tears leaked out, against her will.

x~~*~~x

Eventually they were reduced to walking, when flying became too unpredictable and dangerous. And even then, Subaru noted the knights began to look weaker and weaker, eventually having to stop to rest. Of course, she could feel it, too. The way her skin tingled, as if her magic was being played with, and drawn out. She was in full cyborg mode now, so the effect was very minimal. But she knew Vita and Signum weren't quite human and didn't have a cyborg mode, so they were feeling the effects more.

"This is as close as we can go," Vita said, leaning on a tree to steady herself. "The effects get stronger down that narrow ravine. You'll have to go on alone from here."

"Take it easy, and be sure to retreat if it looks bad," Signum added, sitting down against the same tree. "We'll rest up here for now. Even with this drain, we should be able to replenish our magic with some rest, so we can follow you down if you need help. If you find Erio or Caro down there, priority #1 is to bring them back up ASAP."

Subaru saluted to her superiors. "Understood. Mach Calibur, let's go."

"Alright, buddy!" her device responded happily, forming her barrier jacket, knuckle and skates.

She couldn't risk forming a Wing Road to take the easy way down, but she was more than capable of scaling down into a narrow ravine by herself, and it didn't take too long to reach the bottom. She informed the two up top via a normal communicator that she had found a tunnel at the bottom, and was heading in.

x~~*~~x

"Doctor, another rat has breached the nature preserve area," Quattro informed him in a neutral voice.

Jail didn't even lift his eyes from the screen. "Hmm? Take Tre and Sette and deal care of them. I am getting such wonderful data here!"

Uno looked up from her datapad. "That's almost all we can get from preliminary scans. Shall we proceed to level two?"

"Indeed, but don't go too far," the doctor informed her. "I don't want to damage them quite yet. I have... plans for these two."

Quattro sighed, then turned and walked out without saying a word.

x~~*~~x

"Fate?" Yuuno called.

It had been several hours since he had started his work. Right now, his search and cataloging algorithms were continuing their work on their own, but he had found a few things he wanted to discuss with her. He had found it a bit strange that he hadn't heard from her in awhile, but he figured this place must hold a lot of memories for her, and not all of them pleasant, so he let her have her time alone.

Now he just had to find her. Fortunately, she had left a decent trail. The broken spiderwebs and footprints in the dust told him which way she had gone. Those led him to a door, partially ajar. As he opened it, the creaking from the rusty hinges altered the figure inside to his presence. Fate sat on a bed, her back to him, but she had turned to look at him.

"Fate?" he questioned, noting the red around her eyes that told him she had been crying. "Are you okay?"

She turned her back to him quickly, rubbing her eyes on her sleeve, and replied in a neutral voice. "I'm fine. How goes the search?"

"That's what I wanted to show you," he answered, taking a few slow steps into the room, taking one of the two books under his arm and flipping pages. "This."

Fate wiped her eyes and face, placing the book she held on the nightstand, then took the offered one from Yuuno; her eyes widened. "This is a relic! But what are these small mechanical devices attached to it?"

"I'm not sure yet," he confessed, sitting down next to her, noting she turned a bit away from him to hide her face. "From what I can tell, Precia had a number of plans she was exploring to reach Alhazard. These extra devices are something she designed, but from what I can tell, she only had one relic. She apparently needed many more to make this plan work. Remember her theory on Alhazard?"

"She said it was..." Fate began, trying to recall. "In the space between dimensions, I think."

Yuuno nodded. "Somehow she was going to use these Relics to accomplish that, but then apparently she learned of the Jewel Seeds, and to her, that seemed like an easier route. But there's more. Take a look at this."

Fate turned a bit, using her hair to hide her face from him as she took the second book from him, gasping at the symbol on the page. "A pentagram!"

The librarian nodded again, satisfied. "I figured it would look like what you described with that girl. It's a form of ancient magic symbol, even before Belkan times. Probably almost as far back as Alhazard. The very first magics used a five-pointed star, or pentagram, to conduct magic. It's much more versatile than the other symbols we know and use today, apparently. Or at least, that's what she believed."

"What's this?" she asked, noting the female human form on the other page. "Is this the girl? But she doesn't quite look like the one we found with Arf."

"Seems like it," he told her, agreeing. "I'm guessing the one you found was a clone. Precia was using a girl she found for her earlier cloning experiments, before you were created. The girl had some kind of special magic powers relating to dimensions, and Precia was cloning her over and over to improve and fine-tune them. But for some reason, she abandoned that line of research. I haven't finished my research here, so I'm hoping there is more information."

"Another clone...." Fate whispered, her voice quivering a bit. "Like me. Mother, was there no end to what what you'd do?"

Yuuno leaned forward a bit, trying to study her face. "Fate?" His eyes were drawn to the leather-bound volume she had placed on top of the nightstand as he entered. "Is that...?"

"My mother's diary," the tired-sounding girl confirmed, placing Yuuno's books down on the bed between them and picking the diary back up. "I'm sorry, I suppose part of me still wanted to read that she held some kind of praise for me, but I should have realized otherwise."

[She really didn't have any happy memories with her mother,] Yuuno realized, pushing the two books between them back and scooting a bit closer. Hesitantly, reached his arm out and placed it around Fate's shoulders, surprised when she leaned into him. It was mainly on impulse, as he just wanted to comfort her. But she did feel a bit soft and fragile against him, somehow.

"In my study of Earth's literature, I came across a saying: 'Do not confuse the specter of one's origin, with one's present worth' I believe," he told her. "You've proven yourself as someone special, not just to Nanoha, but to everyone else. Your mother did love you, because she was a kind woman who was full of love. The greater the love, the the greater the pain."

Fate sat up straight again, but finally turned fully toward him and smiled. "Thank you, Yuuno. I just needed to get this out of my system, I'm alright now." She placed her hand on his in a gesture of appreciation.

"Alright, well, I'll leave that to you," he told her, standing up and smiling back. "If there are any clues in there that could help, I'm sure you'll let us know. I should get back and check how my search algorithms are coming."

She nodded, and as he left the room, he could her whispered words come again: "Thank you, Yuuno."

x~~*~~x

Teana tapped away at the keyboard, now that power had been partially restored to the complex. The TSAB science team continued to work all around her, recording what information they could find, while she searched the database in the facilities main computer. Most of the data was corrupted from long disuse, but she was still hoping to find something, anything; a clue to that girl, hopefully. Another science team was as the lab Signum and Nanoha had investigated, but the computer there had been wiped clean, so they weren't expecting to find much.

She paused, taking a sip from her teacup, letting the warmth soothe her body and mind. "Cross Mirage, status?"

"Data recovery is at 7%," the card sitting on top of the terminal informed her. "Estimate no more than 12% data may be recoverable."

The Bureau agent sighed. "I was hoping for more, but this place is so old, I guess that's the best we can expect. Search for anything on a 'Project D.'" She paused for a bit, having a thought. "And see if you can cross-reference that with 'moon.'"

"Working," her device intoned.

Bits of data scrolled across her screen, and while there were plenty of holes, Tea's mind worked to piece them together. All of it was being saved to her device's memory for now, and it would take quite a bit of work to really make sense of it all, but she was hoping something might jump out at her.

And something did.

She tapped her earpiece. "Dr. Jamal? I need a secure line to Bureau headquarters on Mid-childa."

"Roger," came the male reply, and then a couple of moments later. "There seems to be some interference; I can't get a signal through."

Teana feared the worst as she leapt to her feet, grabbing Cross Mirage and motioning for another nearby scientist to take her place recording data. "Thanks, I'll head back myself and report in person."

She hoped she wasn't too late.

x~~*~~x

A shrouded figure walked the streets of Clanagan, his normal attire hidden by the ragged tan cloak that he had taken off a line somewhere. His face mask was removed for the moment, but the hood still hid most of his features, which is what he preferred. Threading his way through the throngs of people, going about their daily activities, he focused on the only goal in front of him: To find her, and protect her.

And then what?

He shook his head. That wasn't important right now; he just knew he had to find her. That's all that mattered.

Children ran by laughing, but he was oblivious to this. His magic tingled, pulling him towards her presence, the TSAB tower looming ahead of him as if to taunt him. He knew they had her; that girl from before had attempted to play dumb, as he expected them to. But no matter, he would get her back.

He stopped, a chain fence impeding further progress. Beyond lay a TSAB facility, and his burning senses told him she was here. There were mages and other army personnel scattered about, as well as various military vehicles, so it wouldn't be easy to get in there and retrieve her. He ducked into the shadow of a building as a patrol came around on the other side of the fence.

The figure debated; he could wait until nightfall to sneak in, or make his way in now. When he thought of what they could be doing to her right now, his choice was made. Ensuring her safety was priority #1. Readying his kodachi under his cloak, he prepared to head in.

"Would you like some assistance?" came Jail Scagliette's voice from the screen popping up near him.

The figure didn't take his eyes off the base, evaluating various approaches he could take. "I don't need anyone's help."

"That's rather harsh," the doctor replied, feigning hurt. "But I do understand where you are coming from. And it so happens our interests coincide, as I have a new toy to test. If you can wait five minutes, your job will be much easier. I will be able to give you a distraction as cover, and draw forces away from the facility."

"Do what you wish," the other man told him, gruffly. "But five minutes, no more."

x~~*~~x

A short distance off shore of the Clanagan wharf, dozens of gadget drones of all types emerged from the ocean. While the alert was sounded, the drones didn't attack right away; instead they began to merge with each other. Coming together, they formed limbs and a body; the type-3's operating as joints, connected by a line of several type-1 and type-2's.

When it was done, they resembled a large mechanical giant with two arms, complete with hands, standing several stories in height on four legs. Ponderously, the drone colossus advanced on the shore, crushing the warehouses and loading cranes, sending workers scattering. The first shots fired by mages on shore were totally negated by it's strengthened AMF, and even concentrated attacks failed to penetrate.

Everyone was forced to flee as the goliath attacked, destroying everything in it's wake.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's Notes:

Rewrite of this chapter finished. One of the slightly minor plot points changed, was about Arf. Since I learned familiars can go in strength, I switched her motivation to just not feeling as useful anymore. For those who didn't catch it, Yuuno's quote is from Splinter, from the first live-action TMNT movie. Quite interesting Earth "literature" he was studying.... Next two chapters are going to be all combat, but there will still be other goodies. So if you wanted action, you're going to get it!

C&C is always welcome!


	9. Confrontations part 1

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 9: Confrontations (part 1)**

Xx~~*~~xX

"Ooh, it really IS a mecha!" Arisa positively squealed as she entered the cavernous garage.

It stood nearly three times her height, sleek, stylish, and mostly white and gleaming silver. A few patches of blue were present here and there, but overall Arisa decided it could use a paint job. A gun half it's arm length was attached to its right side.

Suzuka shook her head, giggling, seeing the hearts in her friend's eyes. "They call it a Golem, remember. And I figured you'd be pleased; you've only been bugging me to see it every day, ever since I told you about it."

"You KNOW how much I love those Gundam arcade games!" Arisa shot back, not taking her eyes off it.

The purple-haired girl sighed; she did. Arisa had spent much money in those arcades, beating the pants off the boys who tried to play against her. As far as Suzuka could tell, this was more exciting to her friend than discovering magic.

Arisa finished off her admiration from below, and climbed the ladder up the gantry for a better view. "Have you flown in it yet?"

"We're not sure if it does fly yet," the junior technician replied, following her up the ladder. "Shari and I haven't finished our examination of it. Lately, we keep getting pulled from project to project; it's been tough to keep up. And Shari's also been busy teaching me."

"Where is Shari, by the way?" Arisa asked, running her fingers along the Golem's right arm. Suzuka almost felt like an awkward third party watching two lovers.

"She's picking up some lunch, and should be back in 30 minutes or so," Suzuka said, typing into the small control panel which caused the back of the golem to fold open, revealing the cockpit in the upper torso. "You can look, but don't touch the controls. You're only allowed in here under my responsibility. And it's only because we're friends with Nanoha and Hayate, that you're even allowed to see this."

As Arisa bent down to take a look, alarms began to sound, flashing red in the garage lab where they were located. "What's going on?"

Suzuka opened a screen and typed into it. "It looks like the city is under attack from the ocean. Some strange unit. I can't get details with my security clearance, but they want people to evacuate and are calling in all able military units." She looked up. "Aren't you going to go?"

"Technically, I'm still a non-combatant until I finish my mage training courses," Arisa replied glumly.

"Then I suppose we sit tight until it's over, so we don't get in the way," Suzuka concluded, leaning back on the railing, then noticed her friend's facial expression changing. "What?"

In one smooth motion, Arisa brought out her staff, activated her barrier jacket, and ran at Suzuka. "LOOK OUT!"

x~~*~~x

"You wanted to tell me something?" Hayate asked the person in the view screen.

Shamal nodded. "I've finished my examination of the girl you brought in, though it wasn't easy. Her DNA is in flux."

Hayate leaned back in her chair. "In flux?"

"It's almost as if there is two different sets of DNA mixed in her cells, each struggling against the other," Shamal told her. "What's more, her linker core is abnormally large. It's almost unnatural. If I had to guess, whoever was cloning her, was trying to increase her power by increasing the size of her linker core."

"Have you ascertained what her magical abilities are?" Hayate questioned.

Shamal sat back and sighed, shaking her head. "Not quite. She barely responds to people talking to her. I think her perception isn't the same as ours; like someone looking through a telescope where people are a small fraction of the total view. And when we exposed her to images of a moon, she nearly went berserk. It looks like she has some mental programming that's triggered at the sight of it. But before we can remove that, we half to adjust her perception to our level, so she can interact with us."

"So we'll be able to question her, then," Hayate concluded. "How long until she's sufficiently treated?"

"I'd guess at least a week," Shamal replied. "It's a delicate series of operations."

Before Hayate could respond, alarms began to sound, forestalling further conversation as she opened up a second view screen. "It looks like the city is under attack. I'll have to get back to you."

"Understood," the doctor told her, signing off.

Almost immediately, another screen opened up. "Lt. Colonel Yagami, you should see this."

Hayate's eyes narrowed as window opened up. "What is that, Colonel Nakajima? It looks like a bunch of gadget drones melded together into some sort of robot."

"Your guess is as good as mine," Genya replied. "I'm organizing the counter-offensive, but we have a problem. The AMF on this is incredibly strong; none of our previous techniques are effective, and we are lacking strong enough mages to drive it back."

The SS rank mage smiled. "And the 108th battalion would like my assistance?"

"If you would, please!" the Colonel replied. "I'm trying to mobilize other forces, but we could use an experienced commander on the front."

"Rein and I are on our way," Hayate told him, grabbing her coat. "Oh, and congratulations on the promotion, Colonel! I hear you're fully in charge of the defense of the city now."

Genya was dismissive of the praise. "Bah, to think something like this would happen soon after that. I had hoped that things would be quiet under my watch. Anyway, thank you, I owe you another one."

"Who's keeping track?" she told him wryly, then signed off. "Rein, let's go!" The smaller girl was apparently still asleep in Hayate's bag, and she had to shake it a bit to wake her up.

Rein yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Hmm, Hayate? What is it?"

"We got work to do, sleepy head!" her master informed her. "Let's move!"

The unison device snapped fully awake. "Ready!"

x~~*~~x

Suzuka instinctively ducked as Arisa's bo staff swung over her head. She heard it connect with a body to the sound of an "oof!" She quickly got out of the way, then it was her turn to save her friend.

"Whiskers!" she called, and a black shape shot out of the darkness, attacking the black-clad figure behind Arisa with a flurry of claw swipes to his helmeted visor. As he fell back through the door, Whiskers retreated to Suzuka's shoulder, mouth opening to shoot a magic beam at a third target.

"You know these guys?" Arisa asked, taking up a fighting stance to cover Suzuka's back as more men entered from both sides of the gantry bridge connected two doorways. "They remind me of SWAT troops."

"No idea who they are, but I can guess they are using the attack to try and steal the golem," Suzuka reasoned. [I wouldn't be able to face Shari if I lost it now!] "Whiskers, set up!"

Purple light enveloped her, as her black cat formed her white barrier jacket, then wrapped itself over her head and torso. The front legs extended down her arms, paws enlarging to rest on the back of her hands, while it's head split apart fitted itself around her own. Combined with her barrier jacket, it gave her a white jacket top similar to Hayate's, with black stripes down her arm from Whisker's arms. Black, loose-fitting shorts and knee-high white socks completed the ensemble.

In contrast, Arisa's barrier jacket consisted of a tighter-fitting white jacket top with red trim, and black tube top underneath that stopped just above her belly button. Black bicycle shorts and red knee-high socks completed it.

"We need to stop these guys before we're overrun!" Arisa told her, then leapt to the attack. "Hiyah!"

The swat troops were armed with standard mage staves and two were beginning to fire at them. Arisa knew that if they brought more of that firepower to bear, they'd lose. So she decided to get up close and personal, leaping into their midst, and dropping low to sweep out with both legs, dropping them to the ground. Before they could react, she planted her hands on the ground and vaulted upwards, sending both fleet flying into the chin of another target. The force of the double kick lifted his entire body and tossed him away.

Suzuka, meanwhile, was taking cover next to the golem's left shoulder pad, returning fire from her right hand. While she didn't have any shooting magic of her own, she had incorporated a compact magical powered staff blaster into her right paw. Not too powerful, but it could stun through a barrier jacket.

She also noted they seemed to be very hesitant about firing on her, so she surmised they didn't want to damage the golem, which gave her some relief. But that wouldn't last if they were swarmed. There were about eight of them in the garage now, with more coming in through a window up above in the high-ceiling garage lab.

Arisa was coming to a similar conclusion. While their attackers seemed to be surprised at someone attacking through pure martial arts at close range, the advantage of surprise was wearing off. One grabbed her from behind, but she flipped him to the ground, then thrust back with her staff, catching another in the gut. She dropped to the ground, doing a quick hand stand and twirled with her legs, taking two more attackers in the head.

She completed the spin, planting her feet and bringing her upper body up, continuing to spin as she whipped out with the staff, knocking the staff weapons out of the hands of two more. Several punches and kicks later, they folded over. Lastly, she planted the staff on one end and pole-vaulted out of the group, back closer to her partner. Her actions had laid out a number of men in the doorway at the west end of the gantry bridge, clogging up that entrance and slowing them down. But it wouldn't last long.

"We're being overrun!" Suzuka shouted, worried. "They're getting braver about shooting at us near the golem. Any ideas?"

[They want this thing, eh?] Arisa thought to herself. "Can you close the cockpit hatch when we're inside?"

"Y-yes, I can, but-" Suzuka started to say, than cried out "Eeep!" as Arisa grabbed her and jumped into the cockpit.

"Close it now!" Arisa told her.

Suzuka didn't need any encouragement, as she repeated the earlier code on an inside panel and shut the cockpit, noting it was now a bit cramped. "What now? That won't hold them for long. Shari and I changed the codes on it, but they can cut through the hatch."

"Not if we pilot this thing out of here!" Arisa shot back gleefully. "Now where's the on switch? And could you move your leg, Suzuka-chan?"

"Ack, sorry!" the other girl apologized, then bumped her head as she was trying to adjust herself in the seat behind Arisa.. "Ow!"

Arisa turned around to look at her. "You okay?" She suddenly had to stop herself from snickering, but couldn't entirely succeed.

"Yes," she replied, perturbed, then noticed the look her friend was giving her. "What!?"

"You ever notice how much of a cute cat-girl you look in that getup?"

Suzuka's "paw" was rubbing her head between the two cat ears. She even had Whisker's cat nose overlaid onto her own.

The cat-eared girl blushed. "I like cats."

Arisa shook her head and turned back, finding the button and hitting it. Screens turned on and controls were illuminated as the golem came to life. "Now we're talking!"

Suzuka flinched as a heavy pounding sounded behind her. "Hurry, Arisa-chan!"

"Gimme a sec, here," the golden-haired girl shot back, working the controls. "This looks like it, I think... Whoa!"

The golem surged forward, breaking it's restraining harness and taking a step off the gantry. It started to tip forward as it did, but then took a second step to balance, continuing it's headlong plunge.

"Hold ooooon!" Arisa cried as the golem burst through the garage door, and out into the light.

x~~*~~x

Nanoha took the skies the moment she got clearance for flight. A a part of her was uncomfortable leaving Vivio behind, alone, at the house, but she realized it needed to be done. Life would be like this as long as she wanted to fly; she'd have to trust Vivio would be alright.

From what she understood, there was an attack at the docks. Hayate hadn't told her much else, but she planned to rendezvous with her there. With most of the Wolkenritter off-world, and Fate on the other side of the planet, Hayate could use all the help she could get.

The communication piece in her ear sparkled to life. "...attack at the medical facility, need help, is anyone there?"

[That's Shamal's voice!] Nanoha realized. "Shamal, are you okay? What's going on?"

"Nanoha?" came the frantic voice of the Wolkenritter doctor. "I'm not sure, but there are explosions outside, and reports of an intruder. There's been no response from the guards sent to investigate!"

"Nanoha, detour to the medical facility and assist Shamal," Hayate's voice popped up. "I think I can handle the docks."

The TSAB Ace altered her course, switched her barrier jacket to Sacred mode, and increased speed. "Roger, I'm on my way."

x~~*~~x

Hayate wished she was as confident as she sounded to Nanoha a short moment ago. But as she got a look at the situation from the sky, she began to wonder. Dozens of mages were firing at the five-story tall drone giant as it lumbered onto land, but it had no effect. And she couldn't use most of her spells, due to people being in the blast radius. She needed to get it back out into the water.

[Well, that just leaves some of these newer spells I've been working on,] Hayate thought to herself. "[Rein, are you ready?]"

"[Yes!]" came the confident call from inside her body.

Hayate flipped open her tome and began to chant. "Breath of thunder, infinite bolts, split the heavens and grant your power to this unworthy vessel!"

Clouds darkened and crackled overhead as Hayate held her staff aloft. Multiple arcs of lightning arced from the sky to the tip of her staff, building up power, pure electrical energy swirling in a giant sphere above her head. When she felt she had enough, she reformed it into a giant energy hammer.

"Mjollnir Strike!"

Hayate swung the hammer, slamming it into the colossus. It was stopped a few feet from actual impact due to the strong AMF field, but the kinetic energy forced it back several steps. Hayate wound up once more.

"Again, Mjollnir Strike!" she cried, swinging again.

As it connected a second time, she released the energy, letting the force of the explosion continue to push it back. In response, the giant fired back, blue beams seeking to knock her out of the sigh, forcing Hayate to dodge by flying higher.

She took note of the distance she'd have to push it, to get it back in the water. "This... could take awhile."

x~~*~~x

"Look ooouuuttt!" Suzuka cried, covering her eyes.

"I got this!" Arisa shouted back, yanking the control sticks to the side, barely dodging oncoming civilian traffic. "See? No problem!"

Somehow, Arisa had found a function which activated the golem's powered roller skates, and now they were making their way over roads towards TSAB headquarters. Surprisingly, they hadn't killed anyone yet. Suzuka was waiting on the 'yet' part.

"I'm so losing my job for this," the junior technician wailed.

"I told you I got this!" Arisa shot back. "Now if I could just find the flight controls...."

"Avionic capabilities require full AI registration," a robotic female voice informed them. "Do you wish to proceed?"

Suzuka uncovered her eyes. "Oh, that's Terra! The Golem's AI."

The rapidly-learning pilot beamed. "Hi, Terra, I'm Arisa Bannings! And I'd love to proceed!"

"User Arisa Bannings registered," came the response. "Flight control has been enabled."

Outside, the back sprouted several mechanical spines that might have been wings, except they were missing the webbing between them. That was shortly remedied as yellow magical energy connected the spines, forming a pair of full golden fluorescent wings.

"Look out!" Suzuka cried again, pointing out the large statue in the park they had just entered.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I got this!?" Arisa grumbled loudly, pushing the throttle up and pulling back on the stick. The golem left the ground, soaring up into the clouds, but not before it's leg struck the statue and demolished it.

Suzuka crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at the back of her friend's head. "That is so coming out of YOUR paycheck."

Arisa sweated.

x~~*~~x

Nanoha had descended and entered the medical facility. Further attempts to contact Shamal had proven fruitless, so she focused on flying through the damaged and smoking halls. Alarm klaxons continued to sound, along with the flashing red warning lights. She had already passed several guards who were heavily wounded and unconscious, but she couldn't stop to do much for them, if she wanted to save the patients. All she could do was contact medical personnel as to their location so they could be retrieved and treated.

She suspected that Shamal would be with their special guest, which is probably what the intruder was after; in the deepest and most secure part of the facility. No doubt, any other patients were evacuated there, if they couldn't be evacuated out of the facility altogether due to medical reasons. And it should be just up ahead, she thought, as she turned a corner.

And froze.

It was him, the ninja. Two more guards lay face down at his feet, and he was attempting to cut through the huge security door just ahead. Several slash marks from his twin kodachi already marred it's face, and it looked like it wouldn't hold up much longer.

He whirled, sensing her presence, and Nanoha was forced to abandon the bind spell as he charged her with a yell. She just barely got up a Protection Powered barrier to block his strike, but she could tell it wouldn't last long.

"Barrier burst," Raging Heart intoned. The remaining energy in the shield exploded, sending both attackers away from each other.

Nanoha wasted no time, pointing her staff and shouting out, "Axel Shooter!" She sent several glowing shots into the smoke as she flew backwards, causing secondary explosions.

The ninja burst from the smoke, mostly unharmed except for a tear along his side. His eyes widened in his mask as Nanoha sent the remaining two orbs at him that she was holding back, while guiding two more from behind. In an incredible display of agility, her opponent vaulted, flipped, and sliced his way through all four, still coming at her.

Nanoha grit her teeth; this wasn't going to be easy.

x~~*~~x

Signum blocked Tre's attack with Levantine once more, but was struggling to keep up. If she had full control of her magic, she could probably match the cyborg, but it was all she could do to stay on the defensive. Also, she was stuck on the ground to conserve what magic she had; she couldn't waste it flying. The trees also gave her some cover from Tre's quick Wide Impulse attacks.

"[How are you doing?]" Vita's telepathic question came.

"[Could be better,]" Signum sent back glumly. "[I've already radioed for backup, but I'm not sure what good it will do with this magic-disruption field in effect. How about you?]"

"[I could trounce Sette if I had my full powers,]" Vita growled. "[We might have to call Subaru back.]"

The Belkan Knight ducked and rolled into bushes as Tre zoomed by, slicing a tree in half. A half-second earlier would have resulted in her head being removed. But she was learning; despite the handicap, she was seeing through Tre's pattern. Movement that fast was actually fairly inflexible due to inertia. Without magic, Tre couldn't change directions too fast.

She popped a cartridge and activated snake form, twirling the long whip around and snagging Tre by the ankle, flinging the other girl away.

Signum took advantage of the brief respite and tapped her earpiece. "Subaru, change of plans. You are going to have to hurry up; we're under attack out here. Find whatever is generating this field and destroy it!"

She hoped it would happen soon. She was running out of magic and cartridges.

x~~*~~x

"Signum!" Subaru called into her communicator, stopping her trek farther in. "Vita! Are you guys alright? I barely got your message! I'll come back to help!"

"NO!" came Vita's shouted order, loud and clear, but then the static returned. "You... destroy... magic-field... hurry..."

The mage cyborg debated internally. [They want me to destroy this field? How? I know they are weaker out there, so I should go help, but Vita's order was fairly clear.] She shook her head. She knew she wouldn't stand a great chance against two of the best cyborgs, and Signum and Vita were counting on her. She wouldn't let them down.

"Mach Calibur, let's go, max speed!"

"Engaging Afterburners!" her device chirped. Flame erupted from the exhaust ports of her skates, propelling her at high speeds down the tunnel.

Subaru dropped her torso to lower her center of gravity for better control in the swifter pace. It was dangerous, as she had to react faster to obstacles in the way, such as the large hole she quickly jumped over. More obstacles began appearing in her path, forcing her to duck and weave.

And then she hit a dead-end. Or more appropriately, worked quickly to cut her speed to avoid slamming into it. But in the process, she tripped and went tumbling along the tunnel floor.

"Ow ow ow ow!" Subaru seethed as she pulled herself upright, then noticed she was no longer at the dead-end to a tunnel, but in a huge cavern, surrounded by holes. "What the...?"

"I'm afraid that's as far as you'll be going," a taunting female voice echoed. "Just sit tight and wait until we deal with your friends above."

"Like hell!" Subaru shouted back recognizing the voice and getting back on her feet. "Your damn illusions aren't going to stop me, Quattro!"

"Oh my my my," the #4 cyborg fretted teasingly. "But how will you proceed? What is real and what isn't? Is that a real hole? Or is that solid ground a hole with many pointy stalagmites waiting at the bottom?"

Subaru growled, realizing the situation she was in. Even the previous tunnel and dead-end could have been an illusion. She didn't know which direction to go, and her friends were counting on her.

But what could she do?

x~~*~~x

"Please stop this!" Nanoha pleaded, using a Flash Move to dodge another sword strike. "We can help if you just tell us what you're after!"

"You're lying!" he accused her, pointing his palm at her, a gray Mid-childa magic symbol flaring underneath him. "Tornado Flash!"

Nanoha cried out as she was sent flying down the hallway backwards by the horizontal whirlwind. She hit the ground tumbling, taking advantage of the momentum to roll around a corner and get back to her feet. Overall, her plan was working; she was drawing him farther and farther away from the patients secured in the inner chamber. Now she just needed to figure out a way to stop him.

Wincing, she grabbed her left shoulder, feeling the cut there from where one of his swords had penetrated her barrier and grazed her. It wasn't deep, but it had gone through her barrier jacket almost like a knife through butter. Just what were his swords made out of? What magic was he using?

There was no more time for thought as he came around the corner again, bloodlust in his eyes, swords swinging to send vacuum blades streaming down the hall. Nanoha threw herself to the ground to avoid them and thrust out her right hand, pointing her index finger out at him, having prepared her next spell.

"Crossfire SHOOT!" Brilliant pink energy exploded from her finger in beam form. Mimicking her earlier move, the ninja dropped to the ground to avoid it, just as she planned. Raising her arm higher, she sent the second blast into the ceiling above him, causing it to cave in on him.

Breathing heavily, Nanoha pulled herself to her feet, switching Raging Heart to Excelion mode, and her Barrier jacket to Exceed mode. She realized there would be no negotiating with him; she'd have to knock him out and subdue him. She wasn't sure whether that last move had worked, though, and she was finding it extremely difficult to hit him at all. He was fast; as fast as Fate in sonic form, if not faster. Fortunately, Nanoha had received much combat experience and training against her friend, so she had ways of dealing with speed.

[His magic seems to be wind-based,] she reasoned. [He must be lowering the air resistance against his body to be able to move so quickly. And his swords must have a magical wind edge to them, making them sharper than swords should be capable of, allowing them to cut deeper.] She carefully approached the rubble as the dust cleared. [Did he dodge it?]

She got her answer when he exploded out of the pile of debris, sword first, apparently having used a wind barrier at the last second to protect himself. Nanoha barely got a barrier up in time, but he sliced right through it. Still, it slowed him enough for her to jerk her head to the left, feeling the cool sensation on the right side of her neck.

[It has to be a wind-edge!] she realized. The sword hadn't actually touched her, but she had been grazed nonetheless. [The edge of the blade is preceded by a narrow band of rapidly moving wind, functioning almost like the blades on a chainsaw!]

Nanoha continued to twist her body to the left, thrusting with her staff in spear mode. "Strike Flame!"

She could see his eyes widen in surprise, his forward momentum not enough to avoid the extra reach from the magical pink blade that sprung out from the tip of her spear, grazing his backside. The seemingly slow-motion moment ended, and the two sprang away from each other.

For a moment, they paused, panting and studying each other. Again, Nanoha was overcome by the feeling of familiarity. There was something about him, but why couldn't she narrow it down?

Then there was no more time for thought, as both adversaries sprang at each other. Nanoha activated Axle Shooter, bringing up eight orbs, firing them off one at a time as the two closed the distance. As expected, he slashed at them, destroying them one by one. As they were about to meet, he jumped at her.

Moving quickly, Nanoha fired off the last two, sending up one to destroy the ceiling and blasting a hole in the floor below. In the two seconds that the dust obscured their view of each other, the TSAB Ace activated Flash Move, shifted against the left wall, and sped through the dust cloud to appear behind him.

Acting hopefully before he realized what was going on, Nanoha aimed her staff down the hall. "Divine... Buster!" The resulting beam covered most of the hall, cutting through the dust and debris. She let it go for a full six seconds, before cutting it off.

[That had to get him,] she hoped, panting, then gasped. The ninja had his back stuck flat against the ceiling, but immediately sprang down at her as their eyes met. [Too fast...!]

She threw everything she had into her barrier, slowing his double sword thrusts. But it wasn't going to hold, as the blades edged closer and closer, penetrating her jacket just below her rib cage. As she felt the sword edges prick her skin, she only had one recourse open to her, and it was going to hurt.

"Reactor..." she whispered. "Purge." Her barrier jacket detonated, tossing both combatants away from each other.

Neither body moved.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's Notes:

Will Arisa and Suzuka manage to avoid further property damage? Will Hayate be able to handle the drone giant? And who will get up first; Nanoha or her mysterious opponent?

This was originally going to be one chapter, but I wanted to do some decent action scenes, so I broke it up into two chapters. Think of it as a sweet reward if you like action, and thought there was too much exposition earlier. :P

Rewrite of this chapter is done. Not much changed, except a bit more clarification on Nanoha's scenes. C&C is always welcome!


	10. Confrontations part 2

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 10: Confrontations (part 2)**

Xx~~*~~xX

"Lt. Col. Yagami, the immediate area has been evacuated, you may proceed."

"Acknowledged," the SS rank mage answered the communication from the ground forces. "Now it's time to really unload. I'm counting on you, Rein."

"Let's do it!" the little girl inside Hayate exclaimed.

"Come forth, the wind of snow, and become the fletching which falls from the heavens," she intoned, trusting her palm out, her white Belkan magic triangle flaring under her feet. "Hraesvelgr!"

Three large white beams exploded downwards at a 45 degree angle, one after another, striking the colossus dead center. She had cut the power by 50%, so as to not cause extensive property damage, but the explosions as they connected were plenty potent. She continued to hold her pose, waiting to unleash a second wave; she was waiting for the dust to clear first.

However, Hayate had to break her stance and move because more blue beams were seeking her out. She was force to throw up her barriers to block some of the attacks, as the return fire became more and more accurate. And then she despaired when the smoke finally did clear; the drone goliath had only been pushed back a few meters, with no visible damage.

"Lt. Col. Yagami, we have reports of another drone giant emerging almost a kilometer west," came the report from the ground commander.

Hayate sighed in exasperation; it was all she could do to handle one of these, and now there was a second? "Do we have any other high ranked mages to deploy?"

"Um, Lt. Bently is AA+ rank, and we have half a dozen AA's, but the rest are A or lower," the ground commander informed her.

[That's not going to be enough,] Hayate thought in despair. [This thing's AMF is so powerful, we have yet to penetrate it.]

"Hayate-chan, we can handle it!" came an excited female voice.

The SS rank mage blinked. "Arisa-chan? Is that you!?"

x~~*~~x

"Um, yes, Hayate-chan, it's Arisa and I," Suzuka reported to the view screen image.

The girl in the window stared at them. "Suzuka-chan? You, too? What in the world are you two doing!?"

Suzuka did her best to bow her head and slap her hands together in the cramped cockpit. "I'm very sorry about this! But we've, uh, kinda taken the golem for a test drive."

"And it's handling great!" Arisa added with glee. "We've been monitoring communication channels. Trust us, Hayate-chan, we'll handle that other drone giant!"

The high-ranked commander mage stared at them for a several long seconds, then sighed. "Well, beggars can't be choosers. Alright, I'll consider you both drafted. I'm sending some of the higher ranked mages your way to help with covering fire. But you better damn well hope you pull this off and don't screw up; otherwise, you'll both find yourselves back on Earth for good!"

Arisa flashed a thumbs up. "No problem! Arisa Bannings, golem pilot extraordinaire, signing off!"

Suzuka sighed in defeat. "I REALLY hope you know what you're doing."

The other girl was silent for a few moments, then spoke softly. "Do you remember way back when we first found out that Nanoha and Fate were mages? And how frustrated we were before that, when we knew Nanoha had a problem and wouldn't tell us?"

"As I recall, you were the one frustrated about that," Suzuka told her wryly.

Arisa blushed a bit. "Shut up! It was just because I was worried about her!" She waited for the purple-haired cat-girl to finish giggling, then continued. "Back then, even if we knew, there was nothing we could have done. But I've been training these past ten years, and now beginning to work my own magic, so that I could Nanoha and our friends should they need it. If ever they are in trouble, I want the power to be able to help them. I don't want to be left out of any aspect of their lives!"

Suzuka stared at the other girl in awe. "Arisa-chan...."

The impromptu golem pilot laughed. "Even if we succeed, we're bound to get into a lot of trouble, but I'm not about to back down now; not until I see how far I can go! Terra, can you lock onto the second giant's location and get us there? And give me a readout on what kind of weaponry you have?"

"Plotting intercept course," Terra replied, while a secondary screen displayed various schematics.

Suzuka reached up to squeeze Arisa's shoulder. "I feel the same. I haven't been as vocal as you, and let myself be pulled along by you, because you could say the things I couldn't. I didn't have the confidence to think I could make it this far. I don't want to give up, either. I want to see how far I can go, too."

Arisa grinned. "Then hold on, because we're both in for a bump ride! Terra, activate the AMF armor and deploy the magical artillery arrays. We're goin' in!"

The golem shimmered, it's armor changing color from pure white and silver, to various blues and reds as the AMF armor came online. Square boxes formed on top of it's shoulders, each with a couple dozen firing points. Two more rectangular boxes emerged on the outside of each leg as well.

It's two occupants held on as they dove to attack, the magical artillery arrays firing dozens of thin blue magic beams that homed in on the designated target.

x~~*~~x

"You've fought well, but it should be obvious you can't win," Sette informed her opponent, raising her two blades again. "IS: Slaughter Arms!"

"Shut up!" Vita shouted back, swinging her hammer to destroy one boomerang blade, as the second ripped through the right shoulder of her barrier jacket. The impact sent her spinning, tumbling across the ground.

Sette landed on the other side of the small clearing, forming two more blades. "I admit, you would probably be a good match for me, if you were at full power. But the battlefield isn't a fair place."

Vita dragged herself to her feet. Her right shoulder was warm, and she could feel the blood running down her arm. Not bad by itself, but combined with the blood coming from the graze on the left side of her head, it meant that the longer combat went on, the more likely she'd lose consciousness from blood loss.

But Vita of the Wolkenritter wasn't the type to pay heed to such minor details. "And I told you to shut up!" Her red triangle flared up under her feet, red magical energy gathering in her left hand. "I am the Iron Hammer Knight Vita, and this is the Iron Count, Graf Eisen! Take us lightly, and your doctor will spend the next year picking you up off this battlefield!"

Sette assumed a guarded ready stance. "What are you-"

Vita thrust the crimson orb forward, then swung at it. "Heul, Graf Eisen!"

"Eisengeheul!" her device chirped as the hammer met the orb.

Crimson energy flared up and filled the entire clearing, temporarily overloading the cyborg's optical sensors. Sette shielded her eyes, only seeing her opponent a split second before the attack came.

"Tödliche Strafe!" Vita cried, swinging her hammer.

Sette managed to block with both blades, but the impact sent her tumbling back through the underbrush.

Vita dropped to one knee, panting, vision blurring slightly. She wanted to pursue, but she just needed a minute to catch her breath. Double-thinking that, she realized she may need more than a minute, and using Graf Eisen as a crutch, limped into the forest to gain some recovery time.

She hoped Subaru hurried up her end soon.

x~~*~~x

"Give up yet?" Quattro's voice taunted, echoing all around. "Your friends will be taken care of soon, leaving you all alone. If you like, I can show you a safe way out, and you can go home by yourself, safe and sound."

[Nanoha wouldn't give up under these circumstances, and neither would Tea!] Subaru told herself. "You've got a lot to learn about about us, if you really think that would work on me!"

Subaru brought her Vibration Shatter IS online, blue circle symbol lighting up under feet; she had an idea. Her Revolver knuckle loaded six cartridges as the gears began revving up. Yelling, she leapt up, then came straight down fist first, slamming into the ground with all her might.

The cyborg-induced earthquake shook the entire cavern, cracks appearing in the walls, ceiling, and floor. The scenery around her fluctuated, exposing the real tunnel in brief flashes. Just as she predicted, the mini-earthquake had knocked Quattro off her feet and broken her control over the illusions.

Engaging her afterburners once more, Subaru shot off down the tunnel again to get out of the illusion range. And it wasn't long before her objective came into view. [A relic?] she thought to herself. It was hooked up to some machine about the same size as it, resting on a ledge.

"Stop!" Quattro cried, the illusions starting to reform.

[I would have liked to take this back for study, but I don't have a choice,] Subaru realized. She loaded a pair of cartridges and wound up, blue energy forming in front of her fist.. "Divine Buster!"

The azure blast obliterated the relic object, but a backlash of magical energy exploded outwards from its location, sending the mage cyborg girl flying.

x~~*~~x

Terra fired another rain of blue energy bolts down. "Fourth bombardment, ineffective."

Arisa jerked the stick hard and to the right, trying to avoid the return fire. Thus far, the AMF armor had been holding up very well, but Suzuka had been monitoring and telling her that each hit drained the magic battery. When it was empty, the unit would be powerless.

The two girls screamed as they were hit, the drone laser fire taking out the left leg artillery box.

"Battery power down to 63%!" Suzuka called. She had pulled out a single nail from her left cat-claw, which came attached to a wire. The claw was then plugged into a console to her left, creating a direct link between the golem unit's computer and her suit. Data ran across her visor heads-up display. "This isn't working!"

Arisa cursed. "We need something more powerful. Terra, retract the artillery and prepare the main gun!" She squealed in delight. "I always wanted to say that!"

The three remaining boxes folded back into the main body as the golem used it's right arm to grab the gun attached to its right side. The weapon fully deployed, barrel elongating.

"Magical Positron Gun charging, 45% complete," Terra informed them.

Arisa worked the controls, trying to dodge fire, going into a steep climb. "Come on...."

"The MPG is full charged!" Suzuka informed her. "Optimal firing distance is 60 meters, and we need a decent speed to handle the recoil."

"That's closer than I'd like, but here we go!" Arisa canceled the climb, wings contracting somewhat and folding behind the golem, which proceeded to drop like a rock.

Fortunately for the girls, Suzuka had identified a sort of magical inertia dampener around the cockpit so they weren't crushed by G-forces. It was only about 80-90% effective, though, which Suzuka felt most of all as Arisa crushed her against the seat. As the ground rapidly approached, she began to wonder exactly how she got herself into this mess.

"Pull up!" she cried.

"Almost...." Arisa said in a low voice. "Now, redeploy wings!" The golem pulled out the dive, skimming the rooftops, as the pilot watched the distance countdown. "90... 80... 70... FIRING!"

The golem grabbed the gun with both hands as a multi-colored beam exploded from the barrel, striking the giant head on. For several seconds it stayed stationary, then the force of the beam on it's AMF shield began pushing it backwards. As it landed back into the water, there was a brilliant explosion, and the golem's view screens immediately dampened the brightness to protect it's occupant's vision.

"Did we get it?" Arisa asked.

Suzuka adjusted the dials covering her ears, trying to get a read on her visor. "I'm not su-IT'S STILL UP!"

The golem was rocked by weapon fire as the dust cleared, sending it tumbling down to the ground, and Arisa worked to bring it back under control. "Damn it! You gotta be kidding me! That shot didn't do it?"

"Power levels have dropped to 38%!" Suzuka informed her. "That shot uses up a lot of energy, and the AMF armor took a beating."

"What now!?" Arisa cried, ducking behind a building for a brief respite.

Suzuka adjusted the dials some more, and hit a few buttons. "I've got it! Activate the Vibro Blade. We need to get in close with melee weapons, as much as I hate that idea."

"On it!" Arisa replied, hitting controls. Outside, the gun barrel retracted, and a bayonet sword deployed from underneath; the blade began to hum as it vibrated at high speeds. "Here I go!"

The skates were activated and the golem shot out from cover, moving at an angle to avoid the energy beams, but it couldn't evade them all, taking multiple hits on the approach. Terra leapt into the sky once more, heading straight for the giant's AMF... and passing right through it, the momentum sending the unit, blade first, right through the shoulder. The sword cut through it like a hot knife through butter, the golem emerging out the other side.

"YES!" Arisa shouted as the arm hit the water with a mighty splash. She engaged the boosters to climb again.

"It's not over yet," Suzuka reminded her, as the golem was struck several times again. "Power down to 18%! We need to finish this quick!"

"Way ahead of you!" Arisa shot back, going into a U-turn and heading right back in. This time, she swung downwards as she came at it, splitting the head and neck down the middle and coming out the other side as the upper part exploded.

"Power at 9%!" Suzuka warned. There was less incoming fire now, but the AMF would fail soon and the unit would be totally out of power. "The rear boosters have been hit!"

"One more time!" Arisa shouted, coming in again and growing the blade to twice its normal size.

Despite the low rate of fire, the AMF failed on the wings, and the right one was struck and blown off. The golem unit went into a spin, but Arisa kept it on track with the remaining wing. Using its inertia for one last pass, she sliced through the giant's waist, cutting it in two. With not much of it left, the AMF was weak enough for the mages on shore to pick the remaining drones apart.

However, the golem lost it's ability to maintain flight and went skipping over the ocean, eventually slipping beneath the waves.

"We're sinking!" Suzuka wailed.

"I know!" Arisa shot back. "Terra, can you do anything?"

The AI's voice was weak. "Power levels.. 3%. Shutting down all systems to preserve life support." Lights and screens shut down, one-by-one. "It was good fighting with you, Arisa Bannings," Terra told her solemnly, but with a hint of warmth. "Thank yooouuuu..." The voice wound down as the last of the lights and power finally went out.

"TERRA!" Arisa cried out.

The AI didn't respond. Arisa and Suzuka looked at each other helplessly as the golem sank into darkness.

x~~*~~x

Nanoha's eyes flashed open. She didn't know how long she had been out, but she realized she still had an opponent to face. She hoped he hadn't left her and gone on to attack the patients.

Dragging herself to her feet, she picked Raging Heart back up, still in Excelion spear mode. The ninja was laying still, several meters away, multiple holes in his clothing; Nanoha wondered if that last desperate attack had done it. Detonating her outer Barrier Jacket was a risky move, as it did almost as much damage to herself as her opponent. It was normally used as reactive armor to lessen the damage from powerful projectile attacks.

Limping towards him, she hesitantly reached down with her spear and tapped him.

With surprising speed, he lashed out with one his swords. Nanoha instinctively jumped back and raised her right arm to shield herself, resulting in a sideways gash on her arm. [Stupid! Stupid!] she berated herself.

The ninja did a kipup to return to his feet. Despite the damage to the rest of his clothing, his mask was still mostly in one piece, but he circled her warily, no longer feeling like charging in. She wondered if he was wising up. At least he seemed to be down to one sword.

But it still didn't look good for her. She was bleeding in several places, the worst being her arm. She could reform her barrier jacket, but it would take time, and likely not do much good to that razor sharp sword.

And then she had her answer, also realizing that this would _**really**_ hurt.

"I know you've come too far to stop now," Nanoha told him, lowering her spear to point at him, reforming the Strike Flame tip. "Perhaps after this is over, you can tell me what this is all about. But I'm going to have to stop you here. We're both not doing so well, so we'll each give it one more shot, with everything we have."

Surprisingly, she seemed to see some other sort of light in his eyes, something akin to understanding. He raised his sword, holding it horizontally in front of his body with his right hand, and took a ready stance.

Softer, she said, "Ready, Raging Heart?" while forming two more pink orbs, all the magic she could spare at the moment.

"Clear to go!" her device chirped, wind energy gathering at the tip. "Barrel Shot!" The binding wind blast fired.

The ninja dodged it, Nanoha knew it wouldn't be that easy, and came at her, running sideways quickly along the walls to get to her. Once more, Nanoha sent one of the orbs at him, one at a time, but deliberately missing to explode part of the walls and floor. He emerged from the dust unscathed, thrusting his sword forward.

And impaling Nanoha with it.

His eyes widened, noticing Nanoha had switched her weapon from her left hand, to under her right armpit and hand. And it's tip was glowing; and she had just grabbed his right wrist with her left hand, holding it firmly with a bind spell.

"Excelion...." Nanoha whispered, then raised her voice for the second word. "Buster!"

Brilliant magical energy exploded from the tip, striking her opponent point blank, filling the entire area with a powerful explosion.

"Break... SHOOT!"

Nanoha released the bind spell a split-second before it hit, blowing the ninja down the hallway and letting the shock wave push her back into safety.

After it died down, the area was remarkably silent, except for Raging Heart venting steam. Nanoha gently reached up and grabbed the sword hilt with her left hand, very carefully pulling it out, using what little magic she had left to close the wound. But as she coughed up blood, she realized there was still internal damage. She had managed to shift slightly at the last second before the attack, so that the sword pierced her upper torso, just below her left shoulder, missing most vital organs. But she surmised she probably had a punctured or grazed a lung at least.

Using Raging Heart as a crutch, she limped over to the fallen form of her enemy, his clothing nearly disintegrated in the blast. He was laying on his back, his mask totally gone.

Nanoha froze in shock, her body growing cold, now knowing exactly why everything felt so familiar. "K-Kyoya? B-brother!?"

The shock and her wounds caught up to her, and Nanoha's world went black as she collapsed face first.

x~~*~~x

Fate shivered. "Yuuno, did you feel that?"

She noticed he was already looking her way, and his eyes told her that he had, but a shrug added that he didn't know what it meant.

"A feeling..." he attempted to voice the sensation. "Something bad?"

The two looked helplessly at each other.

x~~*~~x

"[Signum, did you feel that?]" Vita sent. "[The distortions are gone and I can fully access my magic.]"

"[Ah, I did, Subaru must have done it,]" Signum replied, wrapping her left arm with spare bandages to stem the bleeding. She had temporarily managed to elude Tre, but it wouldn't last. "[But we still have a problem. I don't have much left even with that.]"

"[Giving up already, boob monster?]" Vita taunted.

Signum flushed in anger and embarrassment. "[I told you never to call that to someone who is better than you!]"

"[Good, because I have a fish on the way that I need you to catch,]" Vita told her smugly. "[Formation C?]"

The leader of the Wolkenritter smiled, sending her acknowledgment. She stood up and stepped out of cover, getting ready with Levantine.

"Finally decided to come out and end it like a true knight?" Tre's voice echoed.

"Something like that," Signum responded, raising her sword in front of her and holding it with both hands. She closed her eyes and focused her senses on Vita's approach, loading a cartridge into Levantine. She had to line this up just right.

Sensing the moment, she opened her eyes and sprinted in one direction, then stopped suddenly and whipped her sword outward in a different direction.

"Schlangenform," the sword intoned, breaking into snake-form and sending the whip streaming at Tre.

The cyborg was startled at the sudden attack and veered off, but she wasn't the target. The whip continued, heading straight for Sette who was pursuing Vita at high speeds. The second cyborg didn't realize it until it was too late, and she was ensnared.

"Pferde," Vita intoned, activating her horse-speed move. "Graf Eisen!"

Her hammer device loaded a cartridge. "Gigantform!"

"Roaring Smash," Vita intoned, winding up the now-enlarged hammer. "Gigant Crusher!"

Tre, who had resumed her attack on the stationary Signum, had about a split second to realize she was about to meet a large object. Unable to change her direction fast enough, Vita's giant hammer slammed into the cyborg, sending her flying, tumbling over the treetops.

Meanwhile, Signum yanked on her whip-sword, pulling Sette directly towards her, while simultaneously leaping towards the cyborg, loading another cartridge, and returning it to sword form. Levantine burst into flames as Signum swung, smashing Sette's blades and sending her crashing to the ground.

Signum dropped back down beside Vita, whose hammer had returned to normal size.

"You have anything left?" Vita asked, panting. "I'm out of cartridges."

"As am I," the taller Belkan Knight informed her, similarly out of breath. "That probably didn't finish them, but perhaps we can bluff our way out."

Both cyborgs did appear again, looking a bit beat up, but still having fight in them.

Then Quattro suddenly appeared behind them. "Tre, Sette, we're retreating. The artifact is destroyed, so we have no more reason to remain here."

"Shut up, I still want to finish that bitch!" Tre shouted.

Quattro smiled. "If you think you can, with their reinforcements on the way. You won't be getting any support from me or the doctor, either."

"Another time, Tre," Sette told her, as she held her own damaged left arm.

Tre growled, then shouted, "We'll finish this another time!"

Quattro saluted. "Good job today, you two cute knights. Seeya! IS: Silver Curtain."

The three cyborgs disappeared from sight.

The two knights collapsed, sitting with their backs against each other, to the sound of Agito and Zafira calls growing louder. They smiled and waved as the two descended from the sky to greet their valiant companions.

x~~*~~x

Hayate shook her head and rubbed her arms to get rid of the sudden chill. "Rein, did you notice anything on that last attack?"

"Yes, I've been analyzing it; the AMF coverage isn't perfect,"she replied. "All the drones are sharing their power sources and AMF fields, and then focusing it where the attacks are coming from. That's why we've been unable to penetrate it."

"We just need to hit it at multiple angles while it's AMF is fully deployed," Hayate concluded, diving low again and beginning to chant. "In a distant land, sink into the darkness..." A large black crackling ball of energy began to grow right above the giant. "Diabolic Emission!" The black sphere exploded, covering the drone giant in darkness.

"That won't be enough!" Rein informed her. "It's taking some damage, but this time it spread the AMF all around, like a thin bubble."

"Then we need something that's guaranteed to hit," Hayate replied, her book flipping pages. "Gods in the heavens, mighty wolf slayer, render the spear and strike my enemies true!" A brilliant white magical spear appeared over head, then multipled a hundred times; Hayate waved her staff down. "Gungnir Lance!"

The hundred energy spears rained down, striking the giant from all sides while the Diabolic Emission explosion was still going on. With the AMF bubble so thin, they easily penetrated, taking out most of the attached drones.

As the spells died down, the giant stood there for a bit, then collapsed into a pile of junk.

Hayate let out a breath of relief she didn't know she was holding, receiving word that Arisa and Suzuka had downed theirs as well.

Then she received a frantic call from Shamal: Nanoha was unconscious and badly injured.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Grats to those of you who figured it out who Nanoha's companion was before this chapter. To those of you who didn't, your homework is to watch the Triangle Hearts OVA.

Stay tuned for Chapter 11: Mysteries Unveiled, in which much is made clear at last, while a deal is struck with the proverbial devil.

Rewrite finished, but it was more of the spelling correction and sentence clarification types.


	11. Aftermath

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha**

**Chapter 11: Aftermath**

Xx~~*~~xX

The beep from the cardiac unit was steady, indicating the patient's life signs were stable. But the bandages covering her chest and the breathing mask over her mouth told a story that not everything was perfect, either.

"I'm sorry," Nanoha apologized softly, trying to smile. "I guess I... overdid it again... didn't I?"

Fate tried to smile as well, holding Nanoha's bandage-wrapped right hand. "Hush, you just need to rest for now, and regain your strength. You'll be back up in the sky with the rest of us soon enough."

"Thanks, Fate-chan," she replied softly, then turned her head to the other side. "And I'm sorry... Yuuno-kun... we'll have to... postpone our outing... for awhile."

Yuuno shook his head, taking her left hand. "Don't worry about it, Nanoha. Like Fate said, just concentrate on getting better. There will be plenty of time for that later, okay?"

Nanoha closed her eyes, gently squeezing their hands. "Thank you... both of you... I am glad I... have such good friends."

Shamal ducked her head into the room. "Okay you two, she needs to get her rest. You can visit more later."

Fate and Yuuno stood up, gently putting the hands they were holding back down, while Fate said, "Arf is taking care of Vivio at the moment; do you want me to bring her by for a visit next time?"

"Yes, please," Nanoha replied, her voice becoming a bit raspy. "She needs to... see that her... mama is still okay."

Fate nodded, and Yuuno and her left the room, as Shamal gently shut the door behind them.

"So how is she, Shamal?" Hayate asked from where she was leaning against a wall.

The doctor brought up several screens. "She lost a lot of blood and had several bruises and cuts. But the real damage was that her right lung was punctured and she had some internal bleeding. The nature of the attack seems to have damaged her linker core as well, due to the positioning and angle of the sword impale. It was good we got to her as soon as we did. As soon as things were quiet for ten minutes, I left the shelter to check for survivors."

"Will she recover?" Subaru asked, looking through the one-way window at the bed's occupant. Her left arm in a sling pending repairs to be done later. Rein was sitting next to her, on the window ledge.

"She should make a mostly full recovery, but it will take time," Shamal replied. "It's not as bad as the last time she was seriously injured. I'm just hesitant about her returning to active duty once she's back up."

Vita opened one eye from where she leaned against a wall, bandages wrapped around her head and right arm in a sling as well. "She won't be able to fight again?"

Shamal shook her head. "Technically, she will. And I suppose I won't be able to keep her from it. But all this damage is adding up. Sooner or later, she's not gonna make it. Although I suppose that goes for all of you. It's just my nature as a healer to keep everyone from harm."

"Ah, we understand," Signum agreed, Agito perched on her shoulder. "Every one of us here shares the desire to keep the others from being hurt if we could. We all want to protect each other. But the nature of our work, and indeed our very being, tells us that we should fight with everything we have."

There was a moment of silence then, a feeling of solidarity in purpose and thought. Despite whatever may come, they would each do their best.

Teana spoke up next. "How about the girl?"

"We got your warning," Shamal replied. "We're making sure she's not near any windows where she could see both moons on Mid-childa."

"Good," Teana replied. "The data is still incomplete, so I'm not sure exactly what positions are exact, but she was triggered to activate fully upon seeing both full moons."

"Which leads us to the question as to why Jail wanted us to have her," Fate stated softly.

Zafiras lifted his head in one of his rare human-form moments. "What do you mean?"

"Jail obviously had knowledge of the facility where we found her, since Quattro told us," she explained. "Arf was captured and sent there by whatever cyborgs Jail must have been using."

"It could be that he was hoping her powers would activate with us unaware," Yuuno told her. "From the information on Precia's notes, it was one of her plans to reach Alhazard. Clone and breed the girl, enhancing her magic powers until she could transport them there. Project Destiny or Dimension, or something. Either works. Except that at full unrestrained power, the magic goes wild and destroys things around her, by randomly teleporting pieces of things all around her in a wide radius. Lack of control is probably why Precia eventually gave up."

"Like a human bomb," Subaru said softly, clenching her fist.

"What about the male?" Hayate asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Physically, he's fine," Shamal explained, putting up new screens to show his vitals and current position in a hospital bed, strapped down. "Mentally, well, we have to sedate him or he goes wild when he wakes up. I suspect mental programming there as well."

"Is he really Nanoha's brother?" Subaru asked in curiosity.

Shamal motioned to the two other girls sitting in chairs on the far end, who had yet to speak. Arisa appeared to be unwilling, or unable, to say anything, so Suzuka poked her in the side.

"He looks and speaks like him," Arisa said after some prodding. "His twin kodachi style is that of the Takamachi family. Nanoha never really trained much under it, so she probably didn't really recognize it. But I've taken many years of martial arts, and even trained a bit under her brother. However, I don't remember him having magic."

She quieted down again, and Suzuka knew why. After they had been pulled from the ocean, the golem had been returned to the garage lab. Shari was currently working on it, but while she was fairly sure she could revive the AI, there was no guarantee she could restore its memory banks. Arisa had somehow become attached to Terra, and felt responsible for the state it was in.

"I contacted Nanoha's parents," Suzuka continued for her friend. "Nanoha's brother and sister left on a bodyguard assignment over four months ago. The details were secret, so we don't know where they are or what their status is. Contact isn't possible, and they aren't scheduled to return for another couple of months at least."

"We still have more tests to run," Shamal stated, closing down all the view screens she had opened. "Hopefully we can deprogram him as well."

"The two scientists have pretty much told us all they know," Hayate said. "They were just hired by Jail to attend to the young man's programming and development. They didn't know much beyond that work; Jail kept them in the dark."

Unseen by the rest, Fate's hands clenched.

"So what now?" Subaru asked. "How do we find Jail, rescue Erio and Caro, and kick his ass?"

No one responded for several moments, then Yuuno picked up a nearby book and opened to a specific page to show the group. "Oh yeah, Subaru, does this look like what you saw?"

Subaru's eyes widened and she nodded. "That's looks pretty close; a relic hooked up to some device."

"This was yet another plan of Precia's," he explained. "Only for this one, instead of going to Alhazard, she was planning to pull it into our space, from where it was supposed to be hidden between dimensions. She calculated that she would need a great number of relics to accomplish it, however, and she only had one. Then she learned of the Jewel Seeds and abandoned this plan."

"So what was Jail doing with it?" Teana asked.

Yuuno shook her head. "That, I don't know. All I do know, is that the attached device was supposed to work to store up massive amounts of magical power, both within itself and the relic. But the logical wide-area side effects would entail: being unable to do magic, or having it not work right, or even draining magic from beings with linker cores. I gather that's what Signum and Vita's group encountered."

Signum nodded.

"Shari talked to me about it," Suzuka said, speaking up again. "The magical plane is between dimensions, and the relics function like a powerful artificial linker core. It's only a theory, but if I am understanding what you are saying, then Alhazard itself is trapped in that magical plane. The relic devices would disrupt the magical plane when used in a set pattern, essentially opening a hole allowing the city to come into our dimension. It's all theoretical, of course."

"Does Jail want this Alhazard, then?" Subaru questioned.

Hayate shrugged. "Who knows. It's possible. But that would mean he has more of these relic devices out there, and would explain why he was collecting them." She stood up and straightened her uniform. "But this is all we know for now. Take a bit of time off to rest up, and we'll split up into teams again to see what we can discover. We'll also take turns watching over Nanoha, too. But first things first.

She paused as she walked over to the two girls in chairs. "Arisa Bannings. Suzuka Tsukimura. Please stand."

The two girls, who greatly resembled those about to be given their last meal, stood.

"Arisa Bannings, civilian and mage cadet," Hayate read off a data pad. "Suzuka Tsukimura, junior technician apprenticed to Shari. You two took out a confidential and restricted piece of equipment, damaged public property, and intervened in a military combat situation."

"But-" Suzuka squeaked.

"You will be silent, Junior Technician Tsukimura!" Hayate told her.

"That's not fair!" Arisa retorted, stepping in front of Suzuka. "It's all my fault, you can't-"

"You WILL be silent, Cadet Bannings," Hayate ordered, her voice raising slightly. "Is that understood?"

Arisa quieted down, but she still held a look of defiance.

"Now, where were we?" the Lt. Colonel wondered. "Oh yes. Cadet Bannings, Junior Technician Tsukimura. You also bravely risked death to protect this city and the lives of it's citizens, as well as the lives of soldiers in combat."

The eyes of the two girls widened in surprise and wonder as Hayate continued.

"And you defended a piece of government property against unknown hostile enemy forces," Hayate added. "So here is your punishment: Cadet Bannings, when you aren't working on your mage training, you will assist Junior Technician Tsukimura and Senior Technician Shario Finieno in the garage, getting the golem unit ready for combat. You are it's provisional pilot. If you make C rank, you can remain as it's pilot full-time."

The two girls stood there, stunned and speechless, as the rest of the group began to clap.

Hayate let it go on for awhile, then motioned for silence. "But take a good look in the window behind me. That is the very real possible result of mage work in this world. Neither myself, nor anyone here, would hold it against you if you decided to return to your world and only come on visits as civilians. You can take some time to think on it."

Arisa didn't need time, and saluted. "No, ma'am, I would be honored to accept this role."

Neither did Suzuka, as she mimicked the salute. "Same here, Lt. Col. Yagami."

Hayate finally smiled at both of them. "Then let me be the first to fully welcome you to this world. Get your butts down to Shari in the garage and see what you can do to help."

"Yes, Ma'am!" both replied at the same time, then quickly left the room.

"Subaru, could I speak to you outside for a moment?" Fate asked. The mage cyborg nodded and headed out with her, Teana following right behind.

"Are you sure about that, Hayate?" Vita asked. "Giving control of that thing to those two girls?"

"I've actually been considering a pilot to test it for awhile now," Hayate replied. "It's ours because none of the developing groups wants to admit losing it. And I get the feeling they want real combat data on it; I can probably swing some more support by providing that. I was going over lists of names to find some suitable candidates, but Arisa handled it fairly well. Once she's well-acquainted with it, I might bring in other pilots to train."

"More pilots?" Signum questioned.

Hayate nodded. "There is a chance I can swing a few more units if we prove that they are a viable force in combat, in exchange for more combat data. Regius initially denied funds for anti-AMF forces. We know why now, because he was in league with Jail and his drones. These golems are the first countermeasures to AMF weapons to roll off the line. I, and several others in the bureau, were quite impressed with it's showing.

She grinned. "Plus, being from Earth, I can't help but share Arisa's enthusiasm for mecha. Perhaps I should re-design your armor, Signum...."

The Wolkenritter leader suddenly got very nervous.

x~~*~~x

"Where is he!?" the golden-haired TSAB agent demanded to know, slamming Nove against a wall. Her voice was low, but there was no mistaking the threat in Fate's tone.

"Fate, what are you doing!?" Subaru put forth her own demand. "You said you just wanted to talk to them!" She and Ginga were just barely managing to hold Cinque, Wendi, and Dieci back from freeing their sister.

"And I am," Fate replied, her eyes not leaving Nove's.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" the captive red-haired cyborg exclaimed.

"Arf saw you attack her, you can't hide it," Fate accused. "He now has Erio and Caro, my adopted wards. And right now, Nanoha is lying in a hospital bed, badly injured. You WILL tell me where he is."

"I DON'T KNOW!" Nove shouted back, angrily. She attempted to remove Fate's hands from the front of her shirt, but found her cyborg strength couldn't budge those human arms.

"Fate, this isn't helping," Teana told her, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "It might not have been Nove that attacked Arf. We don't have enough information."

"Please, Fate," Ginga pleaded. "You have my word that my sisters are innocent."

"And mine," Subaru added.

Fate stared for several long moments into Nove's angry, wavering red eyes. But what ultimately made her release the cyborg girl was a call.

"Agent Fate T. Harlaown, there is an urgent personal message for you," came the male voice from a nearby view screen that popped up.

Fate released Nove and turned to the screen. "I'll take it here, one moment." She walked out of the room.

"What was her problem!?" Nove wanted to know. "We cut our ties with Jail! We did what you said and tried to incorporate into society."

"Please don't blame her too much," Teana pleaded. "She's stressed. Her adopted children have been taken captive, and her best friend has been badly injured. On behalf of her, I apologize." The junior agent bowed low.

Wendi put a hand on Nove's shoulder. "Just let it go, sis. Anyone of us would be upset if something bad happened to the rest of our sisters."

"Meh, you're right, not worth it," Nove replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

Fate came back into the room. "I have to go follow up a lead. Teana, you return to the facility where we found the girl, and see what other information you can learn."

Teana followed Fate to the front door. "There isn't much I can do there. The scientific team is already working on it. Let me go with you; I'm supposed to be your partner."

"And sometimes partners need to split up to follow different leads," Fate scolded her, stepping outside. "_Junior_ Agent Lanster, you will follow my instructions." She paused, then added. "Please."

Said junior agent sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine, go follow your lead. I'll check up with you later when I've learned something. I trust you'll do the same."

Fate nodded. "Thank you." She walked to her car and opened the door, then paused. "I have the highest respect for you, Tea. You'll make a great agent someday."

Teana stood there, somewhat disturbed, as Fate drove away. She didn't even realize Subaru had come up beside her.

"Are you okay?" Subaru inquired, studying her friend's face.

"I don't know," Teana confessed, then shook her head. "I know what what kind of stress she must be under, but Fate has been acting stranger and stranger lately. And just now, her words... I'm not quite sure what to make of it. For one, she hardly ever calls me 'Tea' and it almost sounded like she was saying goodbye, like I wasn't going to see her again."

"Maybe there was something in that message she received?" Subaru wondered aloud.

"Maybe...."

The mage cyborg grinned. "Wanna find out? Let's go see Suzuka and Shari."

Teana stared at her friend. "Breaking into someone's private mail? Are you crazy?"

"If Fate's in trouble, isn't that what a good _partner_ is supposed to do?" Subaru countered.

The junior agent rubbed her temples as she debated it. "Alright, we'll do it."

Subaru smiled. "That's the Tea I know. We'll take my dad's old bike, I'll drive."

"Like hell you will!" Teana growled at her. "The one time I had to rely on you for transportation, you nearly splattered us into a wall!"

x~~*~~x

"You want me to **what**!?" Suzuka nearly shouted in disbelief. "Do you know how much trouble I could get in?"

Arisa looked up curiously from where she was investigating the innards of the golem.

"We're REALLY sorry, Suzuka," Subaru apologized. "But Fate could be in danger."

"I know what we're asking is a bit much," Teana agreed, similarly humble.

Suzuka raised an eyebrow. "A bit much? Hacking into a senior officer's e-mail?"

"We just barely got away with having our butts saved," Arisa spoke up. "From what I can tell, Hayate is going out on a limb for us. If Suzuka gets caught so soon after, it'll be bad."

Teana sighed. "I understand, I'm sorry for bothering you."

"I'll do it," Suzuka said simply, turning around in her chair and beginning to tap into her holographic keyboard.

"Y-you will?" Teana questioned in disbelief.

"Fate has been our friend, too, for over 10 years," Suzuka replied nonchalantly. "You're just lucky Shari has gone home for the night. I'm not sure she'd go along with this. You're also lucky that she taught me a thing or two about magical bypasses. Whiskers!" The black cat jumped down from its customary high place, landing on the table beside his master.

"Thank you so much, Suzuka!" Teana said, extremely grateful.

Subaru sat down in a nearby chair, fascinated by how Suzuka was hooking the cat up to the computer. "So, how long is this going to take?"

Suzuka didn't look up. "Not sure. But you may want to get comfortable."

x~~*~~x

"I apologize for losing the Relic, Doctor," Quattro offered. "It was all my fault."

Jail was dismissive. "In the grand scheme of things, one small piece doesn't matter."

"Is that what the girl was?" the #4 cyborg asked nonchalantly. "One small piece?"

"That was an old project of Precia's," he replied, not looking up from his keyboard. "I had learned everything I could, and wanted to see if those idiots at the TSAB might discover something else. Plus, the distraction of those facilities allowed us to escape. I am a bit put off on losing the boy, as he was one of my better subjects, but... my plan goes forward nonetheless."

She glanced over his shoulder. "What is the plan this time?"

He paused and laughed. "You'll find out the same time I explain it to another dear old friend."

x~~*~~x

"I'm in!" Suzuka called, an hour later. "I've got access to her e-mail. Which message did you want to look at?"

Teana thought for a moment. "Um, probably one of the last ones. It probably came in roughly 2 hours ago, I think?"

The three other girls looked over Suzuka's shoulders as she pulled up the message. And all four girl girls stared in shock as they read it.

"She wouldn't..." Subaru began.

"Knowing Fate, she probably would," Arisa countered, standing up and crossing her arms over her chest. "Looking at the time indicated, we could probably make it if we left now."

Teana shook her head. "No, Subaru and I will go. You two are in enough trouble. And if this goes bad, we'll need someone to let the others know what's going on. We have to stop Fate. Subaru, let's move."

"Right behind you," the cyborg girl stated, following her partner-in-crime to the door.

"In all honesty, I was wondering whether you'd come," Jail said from the view screen. "I trust we have an agreement, then?"

Fate stared angrily at him, and spat out the words. "Yes, I agree. Let's get this over with."

He nodded. "Then I believe it's my turn first."

The purple symbols on the teleporter in front her flared and spun, casting an eerie light across the abandoned warehouse, lighting up the rows and stacks of crates. The light symphony built to a crescendo, flashed, and then faded, leaving two small figures laying in the middle.

Fate quickly stepped up onto the teleportation pad, picking up and cradling the larger of the two unconscious forms. "Caro, are you alright?"

"I assure you, my dear, that she and her dragon are just sleeping," the doctor informed her. "I couldn't have them causing any trouble while I teleported her over. They should both wake up soon. Now, I believe it's your turn."

"I am well aware of that, doctor," Fate told him testily, carrying Caro off the pad and laying her gently down on the blanket she had brought. She put the sleeping Friedrich down beside Caro, and tucked a letter in the girl's arm. She took one last look at the sleeping pair, then finally turned to walk up the pad.

"Fate, stop!"

The golden-haired agent turned back at Teana's shout to see her and Subaru bursting into the warehouse.

Acting quickly, Fate thrust our her hand. "Lightning Bind." The two girls froze in shock as golden rings held their wrists and ankles, preventing movement.

"This isn't the way, Fate!" Teana called. "You can't trust him to keep his word!"

"Let's just go back and talk with Nanoha and the others," Subaru pleaded. "We'll figure out a way."

Fate shook her head. "The doctor has already released Caro. I have no choice now; I must keep my word. Even though he promised not to hurt Erio, I know he still could. But still, somehow, I will save him. Tell Nanoha, Caro, and the others that, that I'm sorry for this. Please take care of Caro for me."

"FATE!" Teana shouted, trying to break free.

Her senior agent partner stepped backwards onto the teleportation pad, and as the teleporter flared to life again, she met her partner's gaze and whispered, "I'm sorry, Tea."

There was a flash of purple light, and Fate was gone.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Yeah, this chapter was going to be titled "Mysteries Unveiled" but it ran a little long so I had to push out some stuff to the next chapter. I may still use that title, but for now, the next chapter is titled, "Hopes and Dreams." With luck, I'll finally be going into Jail's back story and motivations. Also except to see quite a bit of Caro.

Rewrite finished. Not much changed here, just the standard cleanup. Obligatory reminder that I welcome comments and critiques, reviews, monetary donations, excessive ego-flattering praise...


	12. Hopes and Dreams

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha**

**Chapter 12: Hopes and Dreams**

Xx~~*~~xX

"Well, I'm giving her a clean bill of health," Shamal stated with a smile. "Physically, she's fine."

Hayate turned to look through the window at Caro sitting on the hospital bed, talking with Teana, Subaru and Zafira. "But mentally...?"

"I don't know," Shamal admitted. "I don't see any evidence of programming or cranial trauma, so I don't think Jail did anything to her. But I do know she's very upset about what went on. I gather she feels guilt for getting captured along with Erio, and being unable to do anything to help. And also guilt for what Fate did to save her."

"Is she going to be okay?" Hayate questioned, studying the girl. She was smiling a bit as she talked to the trio, but Hayate could also detect the underlying tension and sadness.

Shamal appeared bemused. "Honestly, she seems more angry underneath it all; I wouldn't lay very good odds on Jail's survival if she encountered him."

Hayate turned and smiled. "Thank you, as always, Shamal. You take such good care of us all."

The doctor blushed. "To be honest, the healing work I've been able to do here, has been like a dream come true. While my memories of past lives are fragmented, that doesn't worry me because they were never as good as I have it now."

The master of the Tome of the Night Sky and of the Wolkenritter accepted that, and headed to the door's room. "Alright, I think I'll have a talk with her myself now."

x~~*~~x

"I must say, it's so refreshing to have you with me as my honored guest," Jail told her, as the two walked through the halls of his new hideout. Behind them, trailed Tre, Sette, and Quattro.

"Cut the pleasantries, doctor," Fate told him. "I want to see Erio."

Jail didn't seem phased in the slightest. "To the point, eh? He's just up ahead."

They turned a corner, and entered a medium-sized room, with several pods lining one wall, reminiscent of the ones he used in his Cradle base. Erio floated nude in one of them. Fate turned on the doctor, glaring.

"He's unharmed, just in stasis for the moment," the doctor informed her. "But you can check for yourself if you wish." He raised an eyebrow. "Unless you plan to go back on our bargain?"

Fate glared at him for a second more, the thought very tempting. She felt fairly confident she could take care of all three cyborgs and Jail and rescue Erio, but it would be risky without him getting hurt. And if she did that, she would be sinking to his level.

She turned away from him and walked up to the pod and spoke to the golden amulet on the back of her hand. "Bardiche, give me sensor readings." Several small floating windows opened up, displaying data.

"Satisfied?" Jail's voice came from behind her. "As we agreed, I won't touch the boy, and will even let him go once I am done with you. You did prefer I run my tests and experiments on you, instead of him. But first, if you would...."

Quattro had approached with a small open box. Fate glared at Jail again, knowing what he wanted, as she removed Bardiche and placed it in the box. Quattro closed the box and smiled, backing away.

Jail nodded in satisfaction. "I have no interest in your device, so it will just be kept safely until I let you go. Now then, if you're tired, you can rest first, or-"

"Let's get this over with," Fate told him, interrupting. "The sooner this is done, the better."

The doctor smiled and bowed. "This way then, my dear Fate..."

x~~*~~x

Caro and Subaru stepped off the teleporter, onto TSAB-administered world 6, Alzas. It was one of the few worlds within a single teleportation jump of Mid-childa, which meant it was easily reachable. Caro used Kerykeion to send a message back that they had arrived safely. She was glad that Shari had examined it and found that Jail hadn't tampered with it at all.

"How far is it to your village?" Subaru asked as the two began to walk out of the teleportation terminal. "I've actually been wanting to see it for a long time, but I never brought it up because you never seemed comfortable talking about it."

Caro shook her head. "The Lu-Lushe tribe doesn't really have a village; they are nomadic tribe of summoners. It hurt for awhile, to be banished from them. But I have a home with you guys now, so I don't mind so much anymore. However, if I ever want to figure out these dreams, I have to see them."

Subaru smiled and nodded. "I can understand all too well, the need to understand oneself and where one comes from. As well as the value in finding a family that could accept you for who you were." She raised and flexed her arm. "After all, you know how different I am. I was terrified when Tea found out about me."

It was Caro's turn to smile this time, although she was having trouble finding reasons to nowadays. While she had wanted to do this trip to find answers, she recognized it was only a distraction, too. A way to not think about her own failures, and the loss of Erio and Fate. There wasn't anything she could do to find them, but she could ready herself for when the time came.

However, Hayate wouldn't let her go without a partner, and Subaru volunteered. Teana was going to, but Subaru convinced her that the Bureau agent was better suited to investigating the location of Jail's hideout. Without that, any preparation methods were worthless.

Caro directed Subaru to a nearby cafe. "Since my tribe is nomadic, we'll have to get some information as to where they are currently. We can start by asking there."

"Lead the way!" Subaru told the younger girl, impressed with her maturity and intelligence.

x~~*~~x

Quattro watched impassively as Fate screamed again. Her body arched as much as it could from where it was strapped onto the table, then went into convulsions.

"I'm afraid that's as far as the deep scan will go," Uno informed the doctor. "Any farther will cause permanent damage."

For some reason, she couldn't muster up the joy she was supposed to be feeling. Instead, there was just a sort of complacency there. Maybe even an emptiness.

"Hmm, shame," the doctor was saying. "We can't have that yet. Give her a few moments of rest, then we'll start level three examinations."

Part of it was that she just couldn't understand these people. Nanoha had, against all odds, beat the Saint Kaiser to reclaim her daughter. Then despite what Quattro had done, Nanoha had insisted on visiting and talking to her. And now Fate had willingly given herself up to the doctor to protect that Project F boy and the summoner girl.

"Shall I prepare the injections, then?" Uno questioned.

She had seen something similar in her sisters, of course. They cared about each other. Even Uno took on a motherly role to her fellow cyborgs. But Quattro was different; she thought they were all fools, just tools to be used. The doctor was just using them. Part of it she recognized as her programming, but she also knew she had been created at Jail's whim, to serve him. As a cyborg, she was different than most everyone else; and humans tended to despise differences. She could only count on herself. She had gone along with the doctor, because if he had taken over the TSAB worlds, then cyborgs wouldn't be looked down upon.

"Yes, but hold off awhile," the doctor told her. "I want to talk with my daughter for a bit."

Yet, most of her cyborg sisters actually were getting along in society. What did that say about her? And now here she was, thinking too much and getting all soft like that fool Dieci.

She glared through the observation window at the golden-haired girl laying on the table. Fools, all of them.

x~~*~~x

Fate slowly opened her eyes, the dull pain at the back of her head almost overpowered by the aches coming from the rest of her body. She remembered where she was, wearing a long hospital gown, while strapped to a table in Jail's lab. That invasive "deep scan" was as painful as he said it was going to be. It felt like every cell in her body was probed, and now her mouth felt very dry.

The examination table was rotated from the horizontal position to near vertical, as Jail offered a cup to her lips. "It's just water, drink." When she kept her mouth closed and glared at him, he said, "Come now, when I want to get strange substances into you, I'll just inject it. This is just water. Keep your strength up, if not for yourself, then for your dependents. You want to survive this, don't you?"

Fate gave in, drinking the cool liquid, realizing he had a point. She didn't have to like it, however.

"That's a good daughter," he told her, then noting her lack of reaction, added, "Finally accepted it, did you?"

"I have accepted nothing," Fate stated in a low neutral voice. "Even if you somehow were Alicia's father, no parent would treat their children this way."

"Oh, but don't you love your mother in spite of what she did to you?" Jail countered.

Fate met his gaze. "It may not have been right, but my mother was traumatized. I can't imagine the pain she must have felt when she lost Alicia. It doesn't excuse what she did, but it does mean that she had love in her heart. You don't; you just do your experiments without regard for anyone else."

"My dear Fate, you mean you never really thought about it?" the doctor questioned. "Didn't the Bureau have a psychological profile on me? Did my motivations never come up as a question or thought?"

"I know the council created you to carry out the illegal and unethical research they wanted," Fate retorted.

"And you really think someone is simply the extension of their creator, incapable of exercising their own will?" the doctor mocked. "That's interesting, coming from a clone created to be a surrogate daughter, and then beat to become a tool."

The golden-haired girl lowered her eyes a bit, hating the truth within those words. "What then? You obviously want to tell me, so out with it."

"Perceptive," Jail complimented her. "While it's true the council created me and set in place some mental prerogatives, I was mostly given the benefit of true free will. They merely heightened the centers of my brain related to scientific curiosity and desire." he tapped the side of his head for emphasis. "I get the feeling I might not have been the only one they modified in this way, but merely the first success story.

The doctor pulled up a swivel chair and sat down facing the back of the chair, resting his arms on it. "But they also removed any potential I had for magic. No linker core, and genetically incompatible with receiving one, whether transplant or artificial. You see, they had a very specific role for me to play, and for that, they couldn't risk having me studying magic. I had to focus on science and build them their toys."

Fate's gaze softened ever so slightly. While she wasn't ready to forgive him anything, she did understand the complications that came with a planned and modified creation. As Jail had said, her own mother had practically created and raised her for a purpose as well. And yet she was capable of exercising her own will.

"Obviously, we differ on what happened next, because you never went to any public schools," Jail continued, oblivious to her inner thoughts. "I was listed as an orphan, spending my days in orphanages or boarding schools. They made sure I didn't get any adoptive parents. Do you know what it's like to be a non-magic child growing up around other children, all of whom had some sort of magical potential?"

Her eyes widened a bit, looking at him in a new light.

Jail nodded. "As you can probably imagine, it wasn't pleasant. I was always the black sheep. Always picked on, ignored, left out of groups." He smiled, looking amused. "I could list out a number of creative and interesting insults and names they came up for me. They were very good at that."

"So you're doing all this because of a bad childhood?" Fate questioned, drawing the conclusion. "I hate to break this to you, but you aren't the only with bad memories. That doesn't justify your actions."

He laughed. "No, it doesn't. But I grew up hating magic, and the society built on it. This isn't illogical at all; I've seen what science, pure science, can do. It's far more useful and powerful that magic. Science empowers everyone, while magic depends on each user. My cyborgs were very much capable of taking on very high-ranked mages. And I created them in less time than it takes to grow a mage normally, and using less resources."

"So you created tools," Fate remarked in a scathing manner.

"Oh no, my dear girl," Jail replied, meeting her eyes. "I love them all, even the ones that deserted me. They are each free to choose their own path in life, and I wish them well. And as you are aware, some of them are finding a nice role in life despite not having magic. And I was deeply saddened by Due's death."

"I find that hard to believe," she admitted.

"Hard to believe or not, they worked with me because they shared my dream: to create a world based on science, where lacking magic does not harm you," Jail explained, his voice rising to a crescendo. "But that requires power, and the Cradle was going to give me that power."

"So then why do you need me?" Fate asked. "I'm a talented and strong mage. I'm everything you hate, and yet you seem to want me."

His grin grew wide, and he wheeled closer to her. "Oh, it's because you are a strong mage, and I have a certain... emotional attachment to Alicia, which you resemble. You see, while I created the cloning science, Precia perfected it, and did something else as well. Not only did she recreate a stable clone of her daughter, she also amplified the magic power you posses. You have, approximately 10 times the magic power that Alicia did. That girl was a sweet kid, but she wasn't very strong as a mage, despite having Precia as a mother." He sighed. "That's probably my fault, being the father."

Fate's eyes narrowed. Every fiber of her being hated hearing that, no matter how much it was repeated.

"Even Erio, despite being a successful clone, didn't have his magic increased as much as you did," the doctor continued. "And it was one technology Precia didn't see fit to share with me. You saw what happened to Zest, my first real attempt at duplicating her feat. He was a bit unstable. But if I can manufacture powerful mage clones, I can replace key members of the TSAB apologetic to my viewpoint. Then once I have control, I can create a better society for everyone!"

"Any change has to come from the people themselves," Fate countered. "Forcing it on them, no matter how good it may seem to you, is wrong."

"A slave may be legal in a certain civilization, but I bet you'd feel like liberating such a society," Jail shot back.

Fate grew angrier. "I am not going to debate morality with you, doctor, not while you have Erio and I held against our wishes."

"Touche," Jail admitted, seceding the point. "But I still have one more card to play: I am going to remove the force of magic for good!"

x~~*~~x

"You alright back there?" Subaru asked over her shoulder as she sped along on the wing road.

Caro gave her best smile. "I'm okay!"

The cyborg girl nodded. "If I increase the pace, we can probably make it there before sundown." She adjusted the piggy-back load of the smaller girl, making sure she had a decent grip

"Go for it!" Caro cheered, tightening her arms around Subaru's neck.

Fried peeked out of her pack, which was hanging on Subaru's right arm, and squeaked his approval. Subaru's pack was hanging on her left arm, leaving Caro to marvel at the girl's strength.

"By the way, I don't care what anyone else says," the summoner girl spoke. "I think you being a cyborg is pretty cool! You're so strong!"

Subaru lightly squeezed Caro's legs in appreciation for the compliment. "Thank you."

"I mean it!" Caro added. "Not just physically strong, but I always admired you for how strong you were inside as well. I didn't handle being different nearly as well as you did."

"Maybe, but you're just as strong inside," Subaru said over her shoulder. "Perhaps you didn't realize it then, but you are now."

Caro wondered how true that was. She was about to face her tribe again after many years. The family that had abandoned her. Could she really do this? She began to wonder.

x~~*~~x

"Eliminate magic itself?" Fate asked in disbelief. "That's impossible, even for you."

"Not as impossible as you may think," the doctor teased, standing up as Uno wheeled a cart in. "Are you aware of the source of mage power? That magical plane between dimensions? What would happen, if all access to that was cut off?"

Jail could see that Fate understood the implications, but still she asked, "And how would you do that?"

"Another bit of data from Precia," he admitted, picking up a syringe and checking the dosage. "Those relics I had been collecting before? They are a direct link to the magical plane and a huge magical battery at the same time. A single device, properly modified, and hidden on a single world... if it detonates precisely, it'll sever all access to the magical plane on that planet.

He moved closer to her, still holding the syringe, returning her table to the horizontal position. "In an instant, I can have several advanced worlds totally under the power of science. No magic can threaten me or my people ever again. There are many who would welcome such a safe haven. The TSAB would be powerless, and I can do my work in peace."

Fate grit her teeth in horror and anger, realizing what that meant; and in an instant, saw her folly. She should have tried to stop Jail when she had the chance. There were many that depended on magic to survive; Jail's plan would kill them.

"Now hold still, we're about to start level three," he told her, inserting the syringe needle into her neck.

Fate winced a bit at the pain, then she felt extremely sleepy. The last thing she saw before her eyes closed, was the doctor readying another needle.

x~~*~~x

Quattro studied the girl as the doctor resumed his experiments, having finally heard his plan. [It's grandiose and daring, I'll give him that. Worlds with magic...] The idea had it's appeal. She knew of the devices, but did not know what they did. If it succeeded, she would be quite the goddess among men, possessing powers mortals didn't.

The only question that remained, was whether that was what she really wanted.

x~~*~~x

A couple hours later, Subaru and Caro were back on the ground. The Lu-Lushe tribes' tents were on the far side of a range of hills, and Caro thought it best they go in on foot. She realized her reappearance at the tribe would cause enough trouble; she didn't want to antagonize them more than she had to.

As the pair approached, Fried resting on Subaru's shoulder, several tribe members took note of their approach. Many of them sent dirty looks her way, and Caro knew why. She had deliberately worn her white robes, the ones with the intricate markings on the lining, that were typical of the tribe. But her hood was down so they would be able to see her face.

She wanted them to know who she was. She wasn't going to hide it, as they would find out anyway.

"People here either don't like strangers, or they aren't too pleased about seeing you," Subaru noted quietly.

It was the latter, mostly, Caro knew.

They made it past several tents before several men of the tribe blocked their path.

"What are you doing back?" one of men, a blond-haired one in brown robes with white lining, asked. "We don't want trouble here."

Subaru assumed a battle stance, but Caro put her hand out to block her friend. "I am here to speak to the elders. I have no quarrel with you, Yorda. Once I get what I came here for, I will leave."

Another one stepped forward; taller, but bald with a short black beard and a gray robe. "You'll leave now! Every second you stay, threatens us with danger. If you care about anyone here, including your Aunt Gretta, you'll leave."

Subaru couldn't take it anymore. "Isn't she one of you summoner people!? A part of your tribe and family? How can you treat her this way!"

To their credit, they seemed to back down a little, almost looking a bit ashamed, except for the bald one who spoke up again. "Don't you go thinking you know our ways! We don't answer to strangers, especially those that pass judgment on our beliefs!"

"Subaru, it's alright," Caro told the other girl,t hen turned back to the man. "Be that as it may, Janus, I'm not leaving until I get what I came for."

"Then you will have to leave empty-handed," a new voice sounded, male, but older. A elderly gentlemen in white robes similar to Caro's, came through the crowd.

"Uncl-Elder Geott," the summoner girl breathed. "I apologize for disturbing the peace of the tribe, but there are things that I need to know."

"Knowledge in the wrong hands, such as yours, would only cause misfortune," he told her solemnly. "I'm sorry, but as the leader of the tribe, I must ask you to leave."

"No," Caro intoned, dropping her pack and crossing her arms in front of her body, revealing Kerykeion on the back of her hands. "I'm not leaving until I get what I came for. I'm not the girl I was back then. I've learned so much, and used my powers to help people. I am Caro Ru Lushe, Dragon Summoner, master of the white dragon, Friedrich, and priestess of the black dragon, Voltaire. You can try to force me out, but you know it won't be easy. And you would cause the very misfortune that you are so afraid of."

Subaru stared at the girl, amazed at her inner fortitude. She smiled and turned back to the tribe members who were clearly rethinking their position. "I'm Subaru Nakajima, member of the Administration Bureau Rescue Division, and Caro's friend. I could try to tell you what we've been through together, though you wouldn't believe it. But believe me when I say that she has become a valued comrade that any of my friends would die for. I don't know why you are so afraid of her being here, but I can tell you that she hasn't brought *any* misfortune to us."

Elder Geott met the eyes of the two girls, studying them, then sighed. "Very well, if you come with me, I will tell you what you want to know. But after that, you will leave and never return."

"Elder!?" Janus exclaimed. "You can't-"

Geott turned on him. "It is my decision as elder, Janus. She is right; while we could eject her by force, it would cause much destruction and possibly loss of life. Voltaire alone is one of the strongest creatures known to our tribe."

Janus said no more, but still was not happy with the decision. Still he seemed to accept it as he turned and walked away. The rest of the crowd began to disburse.

Geott turned his back to the two girls, but glanced over his shoulder to tell them, "Follow me."

Caro let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, suddenly feeling a bit woozy. It was only now that she could feel her legs shaking a little.

Subaru patted her on the back. "Nice job!"

Caro could only smile in response, as she didn't trust her voice.

x~~*~~x

"I trust you are having the dreams?" Geott asked, using a stick to poke the small fire in the middle of his large tent. He sat on one side, while the two girls sat on the other.

Caro looked a little surprised. "Yes. In it, there are a number of dark shapes around me, but I can't make them out. One of them keeps asking me where I am."

"In our tribe, we have a number of summoners," Geott explained. "Not everyone, but roughly a quarter of the tribe is capable of summoning on some level. But there is more to it then simply magical ability. The creatures we form pacts with, gain power from our magic. They agree to help us in exchange for our magical power. That is why a summoner generally does not have strong magic in other areas, besides teleportation.

He paused to take a sip of his tea. "When Caro was born, it was the dragons that took note of her; her magic, for whatever reason, was well-suited to them. That is why she found Friedlich, and why Voltaire formed his pact with her so early. But other dragons await you, young one. They too, wish to form pacts. If you wish to proceed down this path, you will have to negotiate with them."

"How do I do that?" Caro asked.

He lifted the stick from the fire and pointed it at her; both girls were surprised to see a small brand on the end of it. "If you have the courage, we can give you the ability to communicate with them the next time they appear in your dream. The alternative is to find them yourself, from wherever they are."

He placed the branding stick back down into the fire and turned around. Lowering his robes a bit, both girls could see the black symbol just below his neck. It was a diamond, with an intricate rune designs within, almost like a summoning square. He pulled his robes back up, then resumed his original position.

"I have told you what you wish to know," Geott informed. "If you wish to search on your own, please leave now. If you wish to brave the mark, I will give it to you. You will be unconscious for a time afterward, so your friend will have to carry you out. In either case, I would ask that you not return."

Caro closed her eyes, gathered her courage, then opened them. She turned around and lowered her own robes to expose her back, giving her answer.

Subaru jumped to her feet. "Whoa, hold on Caro. These guys want you gone. How can you trust them on this?"

"I'm sorry, Subaru, I don't expect you to understand," Caro told her softly. "But I do trust him on this. I do recall seeing the mark on my aunt and others as well."

Geott stood, taking the brand out of the fire again. "She knows, as well as we do, that we've seen her conviction and the conviction of her friends. If we were to harm her, you and your friends would take revenge, would you not?"

Subaru nodded slowly, moving to sit in front of Caro, placing her hands on the younger girl's shoulders. "Are you sure about this?"

Caro nodded. "Yes, I am. Please take care of me." She raised her head and braced herself. "I'm ready."

There was a burning pain, the smell of burnt flesh, and Caro's world went black.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Caro's turn in the spotlight for a bit. Also, Jail's back story as promised (most of it anyway). I don't like truly evil villains who just do things because they are evil. They have to have reasons to, and a life experience that shifted them to their philosophies.

Cleanup of this chapter is finished, but R&R and C&C are welcomed as always.


	13. Trials

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 13: Trials**

Xx~~*~~xX

Subaru spared a glance over at the sleeping form of Caro in the tent. Fried was laying next to her, not sleeping but keeping watch. He seemed as worried about her as Subaru was.

She returned her gaze to the fire, letting herself be mesmerized by the flames. She hoped she had done the right thing, letting them put that brand on Caro. Of course, the younger girl had wanted it, but that was why Hayate had insisted on a partner for this outing, wasn't it? To look over the girl? Caro was powerful, but still young.

Subaru's thoughts drifted back a few hours before...

x~~*~~x

"Caro!" Subaru cried as the girl collapsed into her arms.

"It is done," Elder Geott intoned solemnly. "And now I'll ask that you honor your friend's agreement, and take her and leave this tribe, never to return."

The cyborg grit her teeth, glaring angrily at the old man. "If Caro doesn't come out of this okay, I *will* be back. Why are you so eager to have her gone? You're supposed to be her tribe; her family!"

She expected another command to leave, but instead the elder sighed. "I must be getting old. Very well, even though I am under no onus to, I will tell you a bit. Afterward, I will ask that you honor the agreement and leave."

Subaru nodded, carefully placing a bandage over the burn mark, pulling Caro's robe back up, then laying her back down on a blanket.

"Our tribe wasn't always nomadic," Geott told her. "Back in the days of ancient Belka, we used to live in one place, a great city. We used our summons freely to improve our lives, and those of our neighbors. But other neighbors desired our power. Also, there were those among us, those with the greatest power, who sought to rule over their brethren. It was a sad day; many of us were killed and the city was destroyed. We were driven from our lands, hunted.

He paused, gazing into the fire at something only he could see.

"That's what great power does," he continued to explain. "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Even if someone could resist that corruption, they will attract those who desire that power. Strife follows, and people are hurt."

"Of course there are always people like that," Subaru stated, frowning. "And I understand your fears; but to turn your back on one of your own who has done no wrong, just because you are afraid of what *might* happen? I can't agree with that. She's human, she has feelings of her own. You're hurting her, just as surely as those bad people you fear will do."

Geott pointed the brand stick at her. "I do not expect an outsider to understand our ways." He lowered the stick back to the fire. "But understand this: our tribe was nearly wiped out that day. Hundreds of summoners, all gone in an instant. The few who managed to escape, formed the roots of the nomadic tribe we have today. We are always moving, carefully hiding our true power from people. In this way, our way of life and the summoning arts are able to be continued. The arts and the bloodlines are more important than any one person. Everyone here, including myself, would gladly give up our life to protect that."

Subaru glanced down at Caro. She had essentially been sacrificed so that the summoners of the Lu Lusche tribe could continue. While she could understand the old man's reasons, and even empathize a bit, she couldn't shake the feeling that it was wrong.

"We could have killed her," Geott said after a few moments. "But we sent her out into the world to find her own way. Power attracts to power. Anything that came after her would do so without destroying the tribe."

Subaru glared at him again. "You think that absolves your conscience? Not killing her? If you only knew what she had gone through since she left...." She clenched her fist. "I can understand your reasons, but all that you are protecting... it's meaningless. What kind of way of life, that sacrifices young children, can be considered worthy of protecting? You betray what you stand for."

"As I said, you are an outsider," he repeated. "We don't expect you to understand or agree. And now you have your answer. She should be well enough to travel. There is a small clearing and a stream about 1 kilometer south of here. You can camp there for the night."

Subaru slide the packs onto her arms again then knelt to pick up Caro; she knew when the welcome was worn out. "Fine, I'm leaving. And if she is okay, you shouldn't see either of us again." She fixed the old man with a steady glare. "But you have my word, that if she isn't okay, I will be back."

"Fair enough," he replied, nodding, then spoke again as Subaru reached the tent flap. "Perhaps our ways aren't the best, but they've been this way for hundreds of years. Maybe one day they will change. I don't think I'll be around to see it, however. Though, if there are more people out there like you and your friends, then perhaps one day we will rejoin the outside world."

Subaru glanced over her shoulder, gaze softening, and echoed his words. "Fair enough."

x~~*~~x

The cyborg girl glanced back over at Caro, who was beginning to mumble and moan in her sleep. The old man's last instruction was to let her be no matter what happened, and not wake her. He had at least seemed like he was being honest with them, so despite wanting to wake her up, Subaru let her be.

As if reading her thoughts, Fried glanced her way and cooed.

She smiled. "Yeah, I'm with you. I'm not crazy about this, either. But this is what she wanted. I don't like people standing in the way of what I want, either. The best we can do is to just keep watch, and be here for when she needs us."

Fried's black eyes twinkled and glistened in the firelight, as if he understood her, then he returned to his vigil.

Subaru's head came back up. Did she just hear Erio's name?

x~~*~~x

It was actually quite awhile before Caro began to dream, but eventually she became aware that she was dreaming. She had never had a lucid dream before, but realized it must have been because the summoning mark on her back.

"Hello?" she called out the void that surrounded her, but receiving no response.

She wondered what she was supposed to do here. Elder Geott had said this would allow her to contact the dragons, but she was unsure of how to do that now that she was here. Those dreams always came by their own, which meant the dragons always contacted her. Maybe she could do the same in reverse.

She focused her thoughts, trying to remember the shapes and voices, but they were all jumbled together... except for one. One of them in particular had stepped out and spoke with a clear voice. It was light, almost lyrical, somehow musical. Female?

The form faded into view, and the shadows slowly retreated from it, revealing a mid-sized green dragon.

[No,] Caro thought. [Not green, emerald. Shiny emerald scales. Beautiful.]

The dragon stood up and spread her wings, which Caro noted weren't like Fried's wings. She had four instead of two, that more closely resembled those of a dragonfly. Her size was about half of Fried's when in adult mode, and a bit thinner, more limber. She also walked on four legs. Her face and snout were narrower, more similar to a stereotypical dragon, with a small, single horn protruding from her forehead.

The dragon didn't so much as speak, as convey it's thoughts in the form of ideas and basic words that Caro could somehow barely comprehend. "[You call. I come. Hungry.]"

"Hungry?" Caro questioned. "I don't understand. Weren't you trying to contact me to form a summoning pact?"

[Sense you,] the female dragon sent. "[Magic taste. Awake. Hungry.]" She opened her jaws, small razor teeth glistening. "[Eat now.]"

With that, the dragon leapt at Caro, who barely managed to dodge out of the way of the pounce. That only seemed to encourage the hungry dragon, who growled in pleasure and leapt again. Caro tried to dodge out of the way, but the dragon manage to trap her under a scaled claw. Surprisingly, the small summoner girl wasn't crushed given the strength she could feel from the limb.

"No, stop!" Caro cried, tears forming. "Why are you doing this?" [It wasn't like this with Voltaire,] she realized. [He just appeared and formed the pact.] "What do I do? Fried! Voltaire!"

But there was no response, as a large face loomed over her and a hot breath bathed her skin. Caro clenched her eyes shut as Adelinde's maw opened wide and lowered. She had to do something, but din't know what. [I don't want to be eaten!]

"I don't want to be eaten!" she cried aloud as the jaw clamped down... and stopped.

A wave of confusion and wonder emanated from the dragon as she tried to bite, but couldn't.

Caro opened her eyes, seeing a glowing light pink spherical barrier surrounding her body. Those powerful jaws couldn't bite through it, and the shield had even pushed the paw off her. The confused summoner looked down and noticed the large jewels that had appeared on the back of her hands.

[Kerykeion came to help me?] Caro wondered in surprise.

The dragon roared, crashing against the shield with tooth and claw to get at her meal.

[No one else?] she thought in despair. [Think, Caro! There has to be a way out of this!] The barrier began to fracture. [Someone, help me!] Another jolt spread the fractures, and she realized in despair that it would break apart at the next attack.

"ERIO!" she screamed, her summoning square flaring to life under her body.

Confusion emanated the dragon again as a form came flying in. She barely managed to jump back, but not enough to avoid the grazing on her right leg.

"Sorry, Caro, I wasn't here earlier," the spear-wielding boy told the summoner girl behind him, then faced the dragon. "I won't let you hurt her."

"Erio..." the young summoner said softly, staring, then stood just behind him, readying Kerykeion.

The green dragon rose on it's haunches, roaring, then came back down, seeming to smile. [Pass. Come. Time.]

Caro stared in confusion, then understood. She stepped out around Erio.

"Caro..." Erio warned, putting out his arm to block her.

She took his hand and turned to gaze at him. "It's okay. Somehow I just know it's okay now. I think I was being tested, and just passed."

Erio clearly looked uncomfortable with it, but she patted his arm and he reluctantly let her go.

Caro moved to stand directly in front of the dragon, who lowered it's head. Driven, she reached up and touched the horn on it's head, as an Emerald summoning square spun beneath them, encompassing both.

Knowledge filled her, the words spilling from her lips almost against her volition. "By the ancient contract, I, Caro Ru Lushe bind my fate to Adelinde of the Emerald Wind. Let it the pact be formed!" There was a flash of green light, and then the symbol was gone.

The dragon raised it's head a bit, then nodded once, sending out a wave of gratitude and acknowledgment.

"Thank you, Adelinde," Caro told her, then impulsively reached up to kiss the dragon's scaly snout. It slowly started to fade from view and Caro could feel her grip on this dream world loosening. In sudden anxiety, she glanced back at Erio. "Wait, Erio, where are you?"

"I don't know," he replied, his body fading as he reached. "And I'm not sure how I got here. But we'll meet again, believe in that!"

"Erio!" Caro called, her hand passing through his. "I'll find you and save you, I promise!"

Her world went white.

x~~*~~x

Caro awoke to the sight of Subaru looking down at her with concern. Unable to help herself, she sat up and wrapped her arms around the other girl as she began to cry.

x~~*~~x

"Vivio, I'm going out for a bit to pick up ingredients for dinner," Arf called from the bottom of the stairs. "Will you be okay for awhile?"

The young Takamachi girl looked up from her coloring book in her room and went to open her bedroom door. "I'll be fine, Miss Arf!"

"Okay, I'll be back in an hour at most!" Arf replied.

Vivio waited for the front door to open, then close, then waited a bit more to make sure Arf was gone. She closed her door and opened up a floating view screen.

"Connect to Infinity Library database, please," she asked.

Yuuno had managed to get many of the library's books entered into the database, so the information could be pulled up online, and Vivio had swung an access code, ostensibly for help with school work. She discovered that she actually liked looking up information in the library and had become quite good at it. And right now, there was information she needed to know.

As the link was established, she recalled the information she had memorized in the hospital, when Arf had taken her to visit her mama; medical terms for her mother's condition. There were things she didn't understand about linker cores and the hurt that afflicted her mother. She wanted to help somehow, and needed to find a way.

She began to read.

x~~*~~x

Teana hovered in mid-air for a few seconds, then began to fall again. Growling in frustration, she pointed her guns downward and activated the thruster flare shots, regaining height. She set herself into a sort of quasi-flight mode, heading parallel to the ground, but at a low enough height in case she had to crash.

And crash she did. Switching off the flare thrusters from her guns, she concentrated on maintaining the flight. But again, that only lasted a few seconds until gravity took over and pulled her roughly to the ground.

"Argh, why can't I do this!?" she shouted to no one in particular.

"Well, if this isn't deja vu," came a male voice. Vice stepped out from behind a tree. "I seem to recall meeting a similar girl in this very spot awhile ago. She also seemed to be quite driven at the time."

Teana pulled herself to her feet, turning her back to him. "Things are different now. I'm just taking a break from research to work on flight-training. I kept running up against dead ends."

The sniper/pilot leaned against a tree. "I've heard. Attempts to find Jail's hideout to rescue Fate, not goin' so well?"

She fixed him with a look. "I wasn't aware it was that well known. But yes. Chrono even has Insepctor Acous looking into it, but he hasn't turned up anything, either."

"So why the sudden impetus for flight training?" he asked curiously. "I assume you want to make A rank."

Teana nodded. "Solo field Agents need to be a minimum of A rank. And I can't move up from B until I am able to engage in aerial combat."

"Think you're ready to break off from Fate as your teacher already?" Vice inquired.

"She's practically broken off from me," Teana countered in a quiet voice. "I want to learn, to be a part of the team, but that's hard when she excludes me from things. I think she's still used to working alone, and perhaps it's better for both of us if I do so as well."

"That's one way to look at it," he agreed nonchalantly, causing her to turn and look at him. "Have you considered the possibility that she may need you as much as you need her?"

Teana narrowed her eyes in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Partners are there to save our butts," Vice explained. "We can't do everything ourselves, and many times we get in over our heads without realizing it. A good partner will support you when you need it, and pull your ass out of the fire when you jump in headfirst. Fate is probably not thinking straight right now, which means it's now, more than ever, that she needs her partner. When the time comes, you'll have to be strong enough up here," he tapped his head, "to do what needs to be done.

He laughed. "Heh, you should probably talk to Alto sometime. She can probably list out the many complaints she has about trying to keep my own stupid butt in one piece. But what do I know? I'm just a stupid pilot who flies people where they need to go."

Teana froze, eyes widening in realization. "That's it! Vice, you're a genius!"

He scratched his head. "Well, if you say so. You should tell Alto that sometime!"

She smiled and waved as she started to run off. "Maybe I will. I've got to go work something out now!"

Vice watched her go, shaking his head.

x~~*~~x

"I see you're awake now," Nanoha said, smiling, glad that Shamal had allowed her this visit. "And considerably calmer as well."

The man who wore Kyoya's face stared at the girl in the wheelchair next to his bed. "What...? Where am I? Where is she?" He strained against his bonds, but was unable to break them, and Nanoha had to remind herself what Shamal told her; he wasn't really her brother, but a clone. How or why this came about was unknown.

Nanoha sighed, remembering Shamal telling her that the mental programming treatments weren't 100% yet. "Well, calmer than you used to be. Do you remember me?"

He studied her face. "You're the one I fought with before. Why am I still alive? Why didn't you kill me?"

"Why would we do that?" she told him. "You're only trying to protect someone important to you, right?"

He blinked, as if trying to remind himself of something. "Yes... yes, where is she? You still have her!"

"If we show you where she is, and that she's alright, will you remain calm and talk to me for awhile?" Nanoha asked.

At his hesitant nod, Nanoha activated a control, drawing back a curtain that separated his bed and another. The white-haired girl slept peacefully within it. At the sight of her soft breathing, he seemed to calm down.

"I'm afraid you'll have to take our word that she's okay for now, but at least we can let you watch her from here," Nanoha told him. "But in time, you'll both be free to go."

"Why not now?" he told her pointedly. "All I want is her."

"I'll explain, but first, can you tell me your earliest memory?" Nanoha asked, leaning forward a bit.

"My earliest memory?" he questioned, looking very unsure. "I was... that is, I think... I don't really..." He stared at her in shock. "I... think I know you."

Nanoha smiled at him sadly. "From what we can tell, you're a clone of my brother. Implanted with artificial memories and given strong mental programming to protect that girl. We're not sure why."

He stared in shock. "A... clone? I don't think I can believe that, because I remember... my parents?"

"You might have some of his memories," Nanoha told him. "Can you remember your name?"

"K... Kyoya?" he said after a bit.

Nanoha inhaled a bit. [He really seems so much like my brother...] "My name is Nanoha Takamachi. You can call me Nanoha."

"Nanoha Takamachi..." the Kyoya clone repeated. "Takamachi... I know that... that is... my name, too." He looked up in surprise. "Your brother's name..."

She nodded, placing a hand on his. "You may not be my actual brother, but I still would consider you family. When you leave here, I would hope you come back so we can get to know each other."

"I'll... think about it," he told her. He turned his head to look at the sleeping girl again. "What about her?"

"She had some degree of mental programming, too, although she's not exactly related to us," Nanoha explained. "She was a clone that some made a long time ago and put into stasis. More recently, it appears someone else attempted to alter her DNA with that of my sister, but it didn't work very well. We think the man who did it, possibly wanted to confuse me by having me confront my brother and sister."

"How is she?" Kyoya asked, sounding genuinely concerned now.

"Her mental programming entailed a command to discharge her powers upon the sight of the twin moons of Mid-Childa," Nanoha answered, really having a hard time not seeing him as her brother Kyoya. "We're working on removing that so she can leave here with you, if that's what you both want. She also had some mental trauma that should be mostly healed. When she awakes, we should be able to converse normally with her. Do you know her name?"

"Miyuki..." he said. "I think... I'm not sure..."

Nanoha leaned back in her wheelchair and sighed. "That would make sense, if they made it so that you thought you were protecting your sister. Anyway, you two will be free to go in a few days, to make whatever life for yourselves that you want."

She brought up a holographic control panel and reached up, hesitating a bit, then hitting a few buttons on it. The padded clamps that held down the Kyoya-clone opened. He stared at her in surprise, and she simply smiled at him.

"You're trusting me?" he asked in disbelief.

She shrugged, still smiling. "It has to start somewhere. We'd like you to remain her by her side for the next few days to protect her. If you can do that, then you'll both be able to leave in a few days."

He nodded at her, walking over to the sleeping form and kneeling down, placing his hand on her head. "Thank you."

Shamal came into the room, and Nanoha realized her time was up. "I'll be back later to talk more, okay?"

The Kyoya-clone didn't respond, except to nod, as Shamal wheeled Nanoha out of the room. The doctor waited until they were a decent distance down the hall before speaking.

"I noticed you didn't tell him the last part," Shamal commented. "Are you sure about withholding it?"

Nanoha nodded. "Yes, he's had enough for one day. I'll tell them both later, although I'm still hoping you can find a solution."

Shamal sighed; they had been over this. "I wish I could. But they are similar to the type of clone Zest was. Their bodies were artificially aged to this point in a short period of time. They'll continue to age rapidly until they break down. I can't stop that, anymore than I can stop people from dying from old age."

"I know," Nanoha replied softly, bowing her head as a small tear leaked out. "I know."

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Cleanup finished, although I'm finding less and less I feel I need to edit as I go further along, so I'm taking it as a good sign. I kinda went nuts giving Adelinde a personality in an earlier draft (she talked a LOT more), but I decided to cut that out as I'd probably have to make her talk a bit later on, and I didn't want to do that. It would make her too different from Fried and Voltaire. Any thoughts are welcome.


	14. Searching the Darkness

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha**

**Chapter 14: Searching the Darkness**

Xx~~*~~xX

"Wait, say that again?" Hayate asked.

Teana smiled, and opened up a window displaying the ship. "We use the Bucket. When Fate and I went over it awhile back, we had to disable numerous protocols. One of them was an auto-pilot setting, we think. There was other information we needed, and then things came up and we sorta forgot about it. But I think I can get it working again."

"How do you know the ship will take you to Jail's hideout?" Signum asked, pointing out the obvious question.

"I don't know," Teana admitted, shaking her head. "But it has to lead somewhere. TSAB intelligence detected several random scientific research outpost attacks awhile back. If my theory is right, Jail was using these ships to rebuild equipment and materials for his next plan. As such, anything this ship was carrying had to have a way of making it back to a point where Jail could collect it. We hitch a ride, set it loose, and follow where it leads."

"I'll go with you," Arf declared. "It was my capture that sent in motion the chain of events that has Fate and Erio in his hands."

Hayate closed her eyes for a moment, thinking, then opened them. "Anyone I send has to be clear-headed and focused, and I know how much this is weighing you, Arf." The familiar wanted to argue, but looked downcast. "I'll want to have several platoons ready to follow you in a ship. If we find Jail's hideout, I want to take it down as fast as possible."

Teana shook her head again. "That's... gonna be a problem. The ship is small, and the life support system is very minimal, due to it requiring operation by drones. I'd say no more than six people can survive for any length of time. Also, the auto-pilot is programmed for evasive maneuvers and random trajectory if it detects any ships nearby. I'm hesitant to mess with that, for fear of ruining the auto-pilot. You'd have to remain out of sensor and communication range. Anyone on board wouldn't be able to call for help."

"So the six people who go would be on their own," Vita concluded. "I assume you mean six physically adult people. I require little more than half that due to my size, so I'll go."

"Agito and I consume very little air, too," Rein added, for once earning agreement with her demon rival.

"In puppy form, Arf and I also consume very few resources," Zafira added, currently in wolf form. "Probably no more than half a normal adult when added together."

Arf looked at him and smiled, mouthing a "Thank you." She was a bit surprised to see him meet her gaze for several seconds, then nod. She thought she detected something else there, but was unsure.

Hayate nodded, smiling. "Very well. I'll have a list of who is going by the time Tea and Shari tell us the ship is ready. I'll try to include everyone who wants to go, while maximizing success for this mission. This is a long shot, but I think it's worth the risk. You're all dismissed for now; do what you can to get prepared in case you are going."

Teana let a breath out she didn't know she was holding, glad that her plan had been approved. She just hoped it worked.

x~~*~~x

"Zafira, wait up!" Arf called in woman form, since he had switched to adult human form after leaving the office. "I wanted to thank you for that back there."

"It was the truth," he offered simply, continuing to straight ahead as they walked down the hall. "And I know the feeling of wanting to protect and rescue one's master."

Arf matched his stride, but dropped her gaze a bit. "Oh, yes, that is true, I suppose. We each serve our masters."

Zafira was silent a moment, then added, "Still, you would make a worthy combatant addition to this mission. We once crossed fangs in combat, so I can vouch for your strength."

"Zafira...." she spoke softly, looking up at him, then grinned, fang showing. She playfully punched him and teasingly added, "I didn't think you liked me that much!"

His gaze turned away. "I-I care for all our comrades. We all share the same goals."

Arf burst out laughing. "Zaffy, are you too fun to tease. Where ya headed?"

"Since we have some time, I thought I would get in some training," he replied. "Ever since Shamal told us we were becoming real again as opposed to programs, I've felt the urge to see if I could improve."

"Well, since you put it that way," Arf said, still grinning. "I think I will join you. I would make a worthy sparring partner, wouldn't I?"

"If you wish," he replied simply.

Arf shook her head. "Well, if you're becoming normal, you should also work on lightening up...."

x~~*~~x

"We got your message," Subaru said in the Lt. Colonel's office, then chuckled. "And Caro double-timed it to get back here as soon as possible."

"I want to go with the team," Caro said firmly. "I promised Erio I would rescue him and Fate."

Hayate studied the girl's unwavering gaze. "It's possible. As you know, space on the ship is limited. I need clear-headed people."

Caro stood at attention. "I swear I will follow orders to the letter."

"I'd like to go as well," Subaru offered. "If there is another one of these relic devices there, I can handle it."

Hayate looked back and forth between the two. "Very well, I won't exclude either of you. Get prepared and report back here at 1700 hours." The two girls broke into smiles and looked at each other, but Hayate put up a hand to forestall comment. "I didn't say you'd go for sure, either. Once we know for sure how many I can fit on there, I'll let everyone know. I want everyone ready just in case."

The two girls straightened and saluted, saying at the same time. "Yes, Ma'am!"

x~~*~~x

With Shari and Suzuka working full time, the ship was brought back into shape, and the life support system was even improved a bit. After some testing, Hayate was able to confirm the roster of who would be going. Signum, Vita, Zafira, Arf, Teana, Subaru, and Caro were able to be packed in, along with Rein and Agito. But when it was discovered that there was room for one more, Hayate surprised them by deciding to come along, too.

After all, she had told them, Fate was her friend, too. And for once, she wanted to get out of the office to do some more field work.

She also carried a powerful beacon. When they found Jail's hideout, she would activate it to call for reinforcements. But depending on where they ended up, it could be hours, if not days, before help arrived. No homing beacon could be used on the ship, because it would be picked up and the ship would think it was compromised and shut down it's engines.

Chrono's ship towed the Bucket out to where they had captured it and let it go. As soon as the _Claudia _was out of sensor and communication range, Teana activated the ship's auto-pilot. The modified drones attached to it provided enough stimulus that the ship registered all systems as normal. It promptly jumped into hyperspace, traveling on an unknown course; they wouldn't know where they were going until they got there.

Knowing it could be awhile, they took turns on watch duty while the rest slept.

x~~*~~x

Vivio had waited until nightfall, just after her babysitter, Arisa, had put her to sleep. She slipped out of bed quietly, using magic to float so as to not cause the floor to creak, and quickly got dressed in black clothes. She placed one of her larger stuffed animals under the covers, hoping that if Arisa peaked in, she wouldn't check too closely.

Making sure that she had everything, she flew out the window, making sure to close it behind her. She knew that her mamas needed to get special permission to fly in the city and that anything flying above a certain height would get tracked, so she kept close to the ground.

In her research, and in her study of Nanoha's medical charts, she had learned that her mama had injured her linker core. Both in her extended battle against Vivio many months ago, and it was damaged again in her fight against some strange man. She felt guilty, because it was her own fault that her mama had been injured the first time. If that hadn't happened, she might not have been badly hurt again the second time.

While she also felt guilty back then, she didn't know what she could do to help. Now she did. No matter how much it scared her, she knew of a way to help her mama, but didn't think the grown-ups would let her do it. And she had promised to be strong.

She just hoped she could do this without anyone finding out.

x~~*~~x

"Tea, wake up!" Subaru was saying.

"Mmm?" the slowly-waking girl responded, stretching. "Subaru? What is it?"

"We just dropped out of hyperspace," the cyborg girl told her. "I think we're there."

Tea came fully awake and sat up. "Wake the others, I'll go check navigation."

Subaru nodded and left to check the other rooms while Tea headed to the bridge. As the cyborg girl had said, the Bucket had dropped out of hyperspace and was approaching the second planet of a three-planet system. She couldn't be sure, but it looked like they the ship was headed for one of the southern continents.

"Subaru informed me that we arrived?" Hayate inquired, joining the other girl on the bridge. Rein floated in behind her.

Teana nodded. "I think so. I can't access much of the ship systems at the moment, but there appears to be quite a bit of turbulence and interference in the upper atmosphere. Better tell people to hold on; it's going to get bumpy."

"I'll do it!" Rein announced, flying out of the room.

Everyone got secured as the Bucket descended into the atmosphere, Tea and Hayate strapping themselves into the chairs on the bridge. As the junior agent predicted, the ship began to shake violently as made it's approach. She feared she may have underestimated the turbulence, as it felt like the ship was going to fly apart. But after several long minutes, it subsided and things returned to normal.

The two girls on the bridge watched as the craft continued its descent, coming low over a forest, heading right for a range of mountains. Worried, Tea unbuckled and utilized the scope function of Cross Mirage to scan the range.

"I don't see any openings!" she exclaimed in worry. "Maybe this was a bad idea; maybe we missed something in the ship's programming, and now it's going to deliberately kill us!"

Hayate put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. If it looks like it's coming to that, we can still bail out. But there could be a hidden entrance that will either open up, or be covered by an illusion." The mountain range loomed larger and larger. "Still, it might be a good idea to get ready to bail out. Pass the word to the others. I'll stay on the bridge. I can blast myself out of here if it looks bad."

Tea nodded and left.

x~~*~~x

Quattro tapped away at her console. "Collector #4 is returning. It seems to be a bit late. Have drones stand by to check it's contents."

On a hunch, she ran some activate scans, eyes widening a bit in surprise at her readings. For a minute, she debated internally. Then, as the ship came closer, she quickly began typing more commands into the system, clearing the ship to land.

x~~*~~x

Under cover of darkness, Vivio made her way across the final open leg of distance between her and the old Section Six headquarters building. It was technically a minimum-security facility, now used for some extra training facilities, offices, and also Shari's lab.

Coming up against the wall of the building, she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. From her time in the barracks, she remembered a window that she could open from outside, in her mamas' old room. Flying up to the second-story window, she was relieved that no one appeared to be in it. She cracked it open and let herself in, taking a moment to steady herself before going further.

Her heart was beating louder now, so much so that she feared most of the facility could hear it. But she reminded herself that she couldn't stop now; her mama was counting on her. Nanoha didn't give up that day, so many months ago, and neither would she.

Opening the door, she crept out into the hall way, trying to look normal, like she belonged there. If this particular section was still used on a dormitory, there could be other kids so she wouldn't appear unusual.

She made her way to the stairwell.

x~~*~~x

The ship slid into the docking bay, and drones descended on it.

Quattro noted the scorch marks. "Hmm, it appears you suffered a bit of battle damage. Drones, check every inch of the ship."

Several type-1's entered as other type-1 gadgets left the ship, floating along the ground single file.

"We should have those drones checked for battle damage as well," Uno said, coming up alongside her.

"Oh, dear sister, you surprised me," Quattro said, smiling. "But I was already on that. Ship drones, head down the hall and check in at the door on the far left."

"I'll never understand why you talk to them," Uno noted off hand, checking data on her pad. "Computer commands are more efficient."

Quattro watched the drones move up the steps and enter the hallway, smiling wider. "Oh, just because it amuses me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do!"

x~~*~~x

"I thought for sure she knew it was us," Agito said, canceling her unison with Teana, who released the illusion spell that hid them all as gadget drones.

"The way she looked at us, I think she might have," Arf noted, changing from small girl form to dog form.

"The good news is that it looks like this is it," Zafira added, also returning to full wolf form. "The hallways are near exact copies of Jail's old Cradle base."

"Oh, thanks for the magic boost, Agito," Teana said, grateful. "I don't know that I could have made that illusion so convincing without it, nor maintained it that long without being stationary."

Rein canceled her own unison with the pink-haired girl. "Thank Caro and me, too, as we were working to boost your illusion spell, as well!"

Tea smiled and nodded at the pair.

"Well, if she knew it was us, she didn't sound the alarm," Signum noted. "Perhaps they already know, and are waiting for us to fall into a trap."

Hayate shook her head, opening a door and tossing the activated beacon in it. "At any rate, we can't really worry about that right now. If they don't know we are here, they will soon. We need to find Erio and Fate as soon as possible, and stop the doctor if he's here. Let's split up: I'll take Tea, Zafira and Arf. Signum, you take Vita, Subaru, and Caro."

Everyone acknowledged the orders, and the group split up at the next T hallway intersection.

x~~*~~x

"It seems we have guests," the doctor noted. "Girls, would you be so kind as to handle them? Oh, and send in the series-14 androids."

x~~*~~x

It had been mostly uneventful, and remarkably smooth, Subaru noted. She was hopeful that would continue.

However, the two cyborgs barring their way as they turned a corner, killed that notion.

"Subaru, Caro, you two go on ahead," Vita said, readying Graf Eisen. "Signum and I have unfinished business with these two."

"None of you will be going anywhere," Tre told them menacingly, signaling.

Subaru looked back to find the path behind them was blocked by four more cyborgs, and her eyes widened. "Nove, Wendi, Dieci, Cinque... why!? What are you doing here?"

The four cyborgs said nothing, emotionless as they stood there.

"You'll have to forgive them; they don't like to talk much," Sette explained, bringing up her blades.

Subaru grit her teeth, glaring back at Tre and Sette in anger. "What have you done to them!?"

"We've done nothing," Tre told her, assuming an attack stance.

Signum brought up her sword. "Subaru, moderate your emotions; you need to fight with a clear head. It looks like we have no choice, but I know you can handle it. Remember Ginga."

The cyborg girl could never forget that fight with her sister. She turned back to the four cyborgs and raising her Revolver Knuckle, determination burning. "I don't know what's going on, but I'm going to knock you back to your senses one way or another. Caro, I'll need your support."

Caro nodded fiercely, raising her arms, Kerykeion glowing softly. "Understood; I'm ready."

"We'll toast them all!" Agito added, grinning, moving in front of Signum. "Unison in!"

For a moment, all combatants stared at each other. Then, on some unspoken cue, everyone charged at once.

"Fried, Blast Ray!"

The little dragon let a fireball loose, which caused the cyborgs to scatter. Subaru charged in after, skating up the wall and coming in at Nove directly. The other skating cyborg twirled and lashed out with her foot in a strong spin kick, but Subaru powered on through, using Vibration Shatter on the other's leg. There was pause as the two connected, but Subaru had the stronger momentum and sent the other girl violently twisting and slamming into the floor.

[Sorry, Nove,] Subaru thought to herself. [But I know we can fix up your cyborg leg later.]

"Emerald fury that whose domain is the sky, piercing wind of nature that cuts through all; Come to me and let loose your whirlwind howl!" Caro chanted. "Dragon Soul Summon, Adelinde!"

Wendi charged in to attack the summoner while Cinque tossed knives, but Adelinde rose up on hind legs and beat her wings furiously. The cyborg surfer and the knife projectiles were flung backwards due to the fierce draft. The earlier fires were also blown out.

But Subaru could see the real worry as Dieci was charging up her cannon; in moments it would fill the entire hallway. "Caro, get out of here! I'll handle them!" Signum and Vita were already gone, having taken their battles elsewhere.

"All four of them!?" Caro protested. "You can't-"

Subaru charged Cinque and Dieci, while Wendi slowly regained her feet and Nove struggled to stand. "GO! You have to find Erio and Fate! I'll cover for you!"

The young summoner, nodded, jumping onto Adelinde's neck and pointing her wrist down the hallway. "Wheel Protection!" Cinque, who had been about to toss more knives at Subaru, was temporarily slowed to a crawl.

Power gathered on the drawn-back Revolver Knuckle, as Subaru realized Dieci was about to fire. "Diviiiine... Buster!" She punched forward, sending a stream of azure magical energy at the cannon cyborg.

Dieci fired, but the blue energy cut into the cyborg's beam, spreading it and providing enough cover for Subaru to close the distance with a double foot kick. Dieci ducked out of the way, and the skates impacted the shoulder mounted cannon instead. Subaru managed to grab Dieci's arm, though, and spun as she landed, tossing the other girl farther down the tunnel.

That was when she noticed Wendi had finished charging a shot, Cinque's slow had worn off, and both were turned her way. In the next moment, Wendi fired and Cinque tossed her daggers in a wide pattern.

As the projectiles loomed larger in her vision, Subaru was glad that at least Caro had gotten away.

x~~*~~x

Teana moved up, one gun held in both hands, placing her back against the wall next to the door. Arf and Zafira crossed to the other side of the closed door, nodding that they were ready. Hayate, in unison with Rein, readied her staff, then gave the signal. Teana hit the button for the room's door and dove into it, rolling and coming up on one knee to cover the entire room.

And froze, her mouth dropping open.

"Fate!" Arf exclaimed, beginning to run forward. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"Arf, stop!" Hayate commanded. "Look at her; something's not right."

Tea had come to a similar conclusion. Fate looked unharmed in her barrier jacket as she stood there, no expression on her face; even her eyes betrayed no emotion. Bardiche was deployed in Haken form. It was almost as if she was waiting for them. If she was Jail's prisoner, why was she like this?

The golden-haired girl brought up her weapon, then charged at Arf, swinging.

"Look out!" Zafira growled, moving quickly towards Arf who was frozen with shock. He managed to knock her out of the way in time, but winced in pain as he took a long cut to his side.

"Zafira!" Arf cried, overcoming her shock.

"Teana!" Hayate shouted, bringing out her book, flipping pages. She needed something concentrated, something that wouldn't fry everyone in the room.

Tea realized Hayate was working up a spell, and began firing rapidly at Fate to give the SS rank mage both time and cover. Fate blurred backwards, avoiding the shots. Tea cursed, knowing what was coming next, diving again as Bardiche's golden edged smashed the place she was kneeling a moment before.

"Arc Saber," Fate whispered, swinging.

"No!" Arf yelled, diving forward and bringing up a Round Shield to protect Hayate. The rapidly-spinning projectile was stopped, but began to cut into her shield.

Tea blasted it out of the way before it could penetrate, then moved as Hayate sent the mental command to get out of the way. Arf dropped to the ground and rolled.

Hayate brought up her staff. "Resound, Horn of Judgment! Ragnarok!"

Fate threw up a Defenser Plus barrier a split second before the blast of magical exploded against her.

x~~*~~x

The small figure used a bit of magical energy concentrated around her fist to break the vent grating and pry it outward. The lights were mostly off in the lab storage area, but Vivio knew she had to be quick. She was just glad she was barely managed to squeeze through the ventilation system.

She dropped to the ground, wondering for the first time the object was located that she was seeking. A quick look over the rows of shelves revealed nothing. Then she noticed the walk-in safe in the back wall, and despaired; how was she going to get into that? The little Takamachi girl realized her mother wouldn't give up in a situation like this, and neither would she.

But then the lights in storage room began to turn on, and Vivio froze in fright. Thinking quickly, she rapidly floated over above and behind the door as it opened inward.

Shari stepped into the room carrying a package and turned on the lights, humming to herself as she walked between the rows of shelves. Vivio saw her chance and floated over the ground, hiding behind boxes as Shari approached the safe. Getting into position, she watched Shari punch the combination into the keypad, memorizing the numbers. Once she had them, she returned to the wall vent shaft, pulling the grating up, and waited.

The senior technician left the safe after several minutes, closing it was she walked back to the door. Vivio waited until the lights were off and she heard the door close, taking a few more minutes to calm her rapidly-beating heart. When she was sure it was safe, she slipped back down and entered the combination, smiling in delight when it worked.

The inside of the safe wasn't too large, and it was easy to find the case she was looking for on a top shelf. It was also surprisingly easy to open, yet Vivio had to steady herself, suppressing the waves of panic and fear that came up when she glimpsed the object inside.

Hands shaking, Vivio reached in and grabbed the relic crystal. The pain that followed was just as bad as she thought it would be.

x~~*~~x

Author's notes:

An old writing adage goes: "If you show a gun mounted on a wall in Act I, you better be prepared to have it used or come into play by Act IV." Well, it's not so much writing, as much as just any story. I try to keep that in mind. And in this case, it was a spaceship. :P

Anyway, cleanup finished, thought commentary and suggestions are welcome. I can always do another pass through to adjust things so they sound better.


	15. Encounter with Fate

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 15: Encounter with Fate**

Xx~~*~~xX

The side of the mountain exploded outward, dust and rocky debris raining down the slope. Fate shot out of the smoke, Hayate following a moment behind, firing off another Ragnarok spell. Her target easily dodged, coming back in for the attack.

Hayate threw up a barrier, knowing her speed and physical skills could never match Fate's. Her only edge was that she had slightly greater magical power. Except that Bardiche popped a couple of cartridges and began to break through that barrier.

"Crossfire Shoot!"

Fate leapt back as several orange shots sought her out, fired from Teana who was standing just outside the hole Hayate's first Ragnarok spell had made. Fate twisted and turned in the air, gathering all the shots together and blocking them with a Round Shield.

Arf noticed all this from the room they had started in, but she shifted to woman form and turned back to check on Zafira who had saved her. "How bad is it? Can you move?"

The Guardian Beast grit his teeth, pulling himself to all fours. "I'll live. But you need to be more careful."

Arf looked as ashamed as she felt. "I'm sorry. But I couldn't believe Fate would attack us like that."

"The doctor is notorious for his brainwashing techniques," Zafira replied. "Now you need to go help Hayate and Teana; even together, they may not be a match for Fate at full power. I'll follow when I can." When Arf hesitated, he added, "Please."

"I'll be back," she told him. "Don't go dying on me."

He nodded. "Same to you."

She leaned down to kiss his furry cheek, then jumped out the hole, switching to full dog form.

Zafira stared at her retreating form.

x~~*~~x

They didn't realize it until it was too late. In their pursuit of, and close range combat with, the cyborgs Tre and Sette, Signum and Vita found themselves back in the cavernous hanger they initially came from. Of course, that meant that every drone there turned on them, forcing them to split their attention between drone and cyborg.

"Get out of my way!" Vita demanded, busting through another type-1 and swinging at Sette's blade boomerangs, destroying them. However, Tre came in and smashed into Vita's hastily formed barrier, knocking the smaller girl away.

Signum finished off several type-3 drones just in time to witness Vita being attacked, cursing at the fact that the two cyborgs were using the drones to distract one while they double-teamed the other. She controlled her sword, now in fiery snake form, whipping it towards the pair, forcing them to scatter and preventing a followup attack on the hammer knight.

Vita pulled out of her unwanted dive, waving her hand to create eight silver balls. Swinging Graf Eisen, she launched all eight projectiles up at the cyborg girls. The pair dodged, but half of the shots hit drones while the other half struck the ceiling, dislodging the steel supports and other ceiling materials. The resulting mini-avalanche came crashing down, burying several more drones.

And gave Signum an idea as she dodged more gadgets, flying full speed at Tre. "[How do you feel about more destruction?]"

Vita grinned, exchanging melee attacks with Sette. "[You know me. There's nothing Graf Eisen and I can't destroy.]"

Signum smiled, blocking Tre's Wide Impulse strike with a barrier. "[Then here's what I have in mind...]"

x~~*~~x

Vivio awoke, not even realizing that she had lost consciousness. As she dragged herself to her feet, she hoped she hadn't been out long. She stumbled to the safe door, wondering why it seemed smaller. Then she glanced down and noticed she had a more prominent chest and longer arms.

Of course, she realized; She was in her Kaiser form now. Which meant she couldn't go out the way she came in. Or could she?

Concentrating, she tried to control her magic, to condense it and return to normal size. For a moment, her body was enveloped in multi-colored light, but the strain was too much and she gave up. She'd just have to try and get out the way she was.

Peeking out the storage room door, the coast seemed clear, and she made a run for it.

x~~*~~x

Teana kept firing, forcing Fate to stay on the move. When she received the signal, she stopped, and Arf tried to bind Fate's limbs, just managing to snag her left leg while Hayate let out her next spell.

"Gods in the heavens, mighty wolf slayer, render the spear and strike my enemies true; Gungnir Lance!" she chanted, unleashing dozens of light spears that streaked toward the target.

"Sonic Form," Bardiche intoned as he was swung downwards, a second before the lances converged.

Arf clenched her eyes shut as she heard Teana ask, "Did we get her?"

Hayate inhaled sharply as she realized what was coming, turning and trying to put up a barrier. But she wasn't fast enough; Fate's Riot Zanber swords tore through her forming barrier, cutting into her left arm and leg. Teana was firing again, preventing Fate from following up, but the damage was done; Hayate lost altitude as she grabbed her left arm in pain.

"Teana, look out!" Hayate shouted to the girl on the ground.

The gun mage turned, seemingly in slow motion, eyes widening in fear as she saw Fate's approach. But Hayate knew Teana wouldn't be able to act in time as Fate's swords came down.

Arf crashed into Tea, knocking the girl out of the way while lashing out with a claw. The familiar howled in pain as she was hit, but her claw managed to snag Fate's left side, cutting into the jacket and leaving four red streaks. Fate cut off the attack and retreated, holding her left side, face twisted in pain and anger.

"Arf!" Teana exclaimed in worry, noting the long red gashes in the familiar's side. "Are you alright?"

"I'll live," she replied, wincing. "But you might have to fight without me for a bit...."

Teana nodded and stood, facing Fate who was floating in the air, out of reach. Hayate felt Rein stabilize her condition, but it wasn't looking good. Fate held the edge in speed, so unless they got lucky or came up with a brilliant plan, they'd be picked off one-by-one.

x~~*~~x

The multiple impacts sent the cyborg tumbling down the hallway, despite the hastily formed triangle shield she put up at the last second. Gritting her teeth, Subaru pulled herself to her feet. Her barrier jacket was torn in a dozen places and her head was ringing, but she felt she could still fight.

Though with Nove down and Dieci's cannon destroyed, the odds were looking better. [Wait, where is Dieci?] Instinctively, she swung out with her right arm, knocking the twin glowing red swords and their holder aside.

"What the... Deed!?" Subaru exclaimed. "You, too!?"

And that wasn't all. Now that she was turned, she could see Otto down the hall, right hand in the air holding a spinning green glow. Subaru took off as Otto's Ray Storm struck, the multiple beams of light landing all around her. Knowing Otto was weaker in close combat, Subaru tried to close the distance. But Wendi and Cinque were still firing at her, and several near impacts lifted her from the floor and sent her body tumbling down the hall like a rag doll.

Subaru ended up near Otto. "Why!? Why are you helping the doctor again!?"

But then she noticed something; Otto's right leg appeared to be heavily damaged. [I didn't touch her, so why...] An image flashed her mind of her damaging Nove's right leg. A quick scan of the wide corridor confirmed that Nove had disappeared.

And Deed's form was shifting, becoming Sein, who then sunk into the floor.

"Copies!" Subaru realized, jumping back to her feet as the fire resumed, her inner fire lighting. "You're all copies! Mach Calibur, Full Drive!"

"Ignition!" her deviced finished for her.

"Gear Excellion!" Subaru shouted, blue wings forming on her skates.

"ACS engaged!" Mach Calibur intoned as the newly-empowered cyborg girl took off a split second before the next shots reached her.

Since "Otto" was closest, Subaru grabbed the smaller girl's arm and spun, tossing her down the corridor at Cinque to block the thrown daggers. Then she engaged her afterburners, taking off like a shot up the wall and across the ceiling in a spiral approach. Wendi was unable to hit her at those speeds, and was forced to turn her gun-board into a shield to block Subaru's cartridge-enhanced punch.

Subaru activated Vibration Shatter upon impact, demolishing the board and continuing through to slam into the Wendi cyborg, sending it flying away. She turned to see Cinque tossing more daggers, but Subaru's attempt to dodge was stopped; two hands had appeared from the floor and were holding her right leg.

"Protection Powered!" Mach Calibur intoned, sensing her master's predicament. The blue barrier blocked most of it, but some made it through, the blast slamming her up against the wall.

She knew she had sustained damage, but she wondered if her optics had been affected, as she saw two Cinques readying another barrage. In the next instant, she realized that it was just two of the shape-shifting cyborgs, but she wouldn't be able to dodge quickly enough this time; however, there was one trick she had left up her sleeve.

Popping several cartridges and activating Vibration Shatter, Subaru slammed her right knuckle into the ground, shaking the entire corridor and causing all cyborgs to lose their footing. That bought her time to skate over to the first Cinque and send her flying into the second Cinque with a powerful kick. The first one nearly split apart at the impact, revealing all mechanical and electrical parts within.

[They're just robots!] Subaru realized, then screamed as several ray storm blasts hit her back side. Otto had recovered, firing from the floor, unable to get up with it's damaged leg.

Subaru roared and charged, taking a few Ray Storm shots to her arms that shredded the last of her jacket and chipped at her arms. She snagged the Otto from the floor and did a quick 180 degree turn, going up the wall again, using the robot Otto for a shield to block thrown daggers from the two Cinques. The Sein must have changed to one as well, as a previous Cinque was still on the ground, nearly split in two pieces.

The Otto in her hands virtually disintegrated after the next barrage, but it was enough cover to grab a Cinque on the way as a replacement. The last robot Cinque threw daggers into the ground at her feet and activated a yellow barrier. Subaru switched the Cinque she was holding to her left hand as she wound up with her right.

"Divine Buster!" she shouted, activating her IS at the same time as she slammed her fist into the Cinque she was holding. The blast went through the first one and slammed into the shield at pointblank range, the Vibration Shatter penetrating and and impaling the second.

At the exact same moment, the daggers in the floor exploded, tossing Subaru away to land in a heap. Even after the dust settled, she didn't move.

x~~*~~x

Caro sped through the hallways on Adelinde, Fried tucked under her arm so he would have problems trying to keep up in flight; the medium-sized emerald dragon was very fast. But at this rate, she felt she felt confident it wouldn't take long to find Erio and Fate.

She was half-right, as she backtracked past an open door. Inside was a small number of human-sized containers, lined up against one wall, filled with a yellow watery substance. And one of them contained what she was looking for.

"Erio!" she cried, leaping off Adelinde and running up to the container. "Hold on, I'll have you out in a second."

"It is quite touching to see two people so close, find each other again," Jail remarked, the illusion hiding him, Uno, and Quattro dropping. "Although I must admit I didn't expect you to be the one to get here first."

Caro stared at them fiercly, stepping protectively in front of Erio's transparent container, flanked by Fried and Adelinde. "I'm taking him back."

"That could be dangerous," Uno hinted, a finger hovering over a key on her holographic keyboard. "If he's removed from there, it might be hazardous to his health."

The young summoner grit her teeth, her eyes wavering a bit in fear. What could she do now?

x~~*~~x

Vivio left the old Section Six facility behind, flying away at top speed. She had given up trying to return to the window to make her escape, and instead just made her own exit. She hadn't planned on it, but she was about to be cornered by people walking through the halls. So, she just punched her way out. It would obviously raise an alert, but the only important thing was reaching her mama now.

The medical facility wasn't too far away, and like before, Vivio knew their was a window on the room where Nanoha was kept. Finding it, she was relieved to see her mama was asleep. She poked a finger through the glass and unlocked the window, sliding it open and slipping inside, closing it after her.

The sight of her mother in the bed, breathing mask over her face, tore the younger girl's heart in two. She had always seen her mother as a strong figure, able to face anything. But she appeared so weak here.

But not anymore. Vivio climbed onto the bed above her mother and concentrated her magic. It was partially easier now because she could draw upon so much, but the normal stream had become a raging torrent; she had to work to exert more control.

Multi-colored light grew to encompass both, and for a moment, the relic appeared in front of Vivio. She fought hard to keep control, as the magic threatened to go wild. She just needed to transfer a part of the relic to her mother to repair her linker core and facilitate healing. For a moment, Nanoha's body levitated, as Vivio whimpered in pain.

Then there was a bright flash of rainbow light and the room was returned to darkness.

x~~*~~x

Fate wasn't moving as fast now, but she certainly was still faster then the rest of them. It was thanks to Zafira, who returned to the fight, doing his his best to protect the weakened Hayate and Rein that kept the fight on almost even terms. Arf was still recuperating under some trees, as the battle had progressed down the mountain to the forest below.

Teana felt that last point was almost the worst one, because while it gave her some cover, it also impeded her view to shoot the rapidly flying Fate. As she reloaded, she also realized she had exactly one more magazine for each gun. They needed to end this soon, because if it took everything they had, they wouldn't have anything left to confront Jail with.

[Think Tea!] she mentally scolded herself, firing off a few more shots to keep Fate away from Hayate. [Fate is too fast to hit, with shots or binds. How do you stop an enemy like that?] She thought back over her training, the gist of an idea beginning to form. [Speed has it's advantages, but disadvantages, too. Movement that's too quick to follow, is also too quick to think about....]

"[Hayate, can you hear me?]" the gun mage sent. "[I have an idea, but it's going to require all of us.]"

"[Zafira and I are able, but what about Arf?]" Hayate asked, firing off another wave of Gungnir lances.

"[If it's for Fate, I can do it,]" Arf declared with strong conviction.

"[Okay, then listen up,]" Tea sent to all of them, outlining the plan.

After it was done, Hayate seemed to have a few doubts. "[You sure you can pull that off, Tea?]"

The gun mage smiled. "[I've had long practice under Nanoha. I can do it. I know this is going to qualify as overdoing it, but I don't think we have a choice now. Arf, can you get into position in the next few minutes?]"

"[I'll be there!]" Arf shot back without a trace of doubt.

"[Alright, here we go!]" Tea communicated. She found an open clearing and formed a couple dozen orange orbs. It took all her concentration to hold onto them, but she couldn't take a chance. "Crossfire Shooter!"

The gun mage launched the variation to her normal attack, straining to control all 24 shots. Fate began to dodge some, and destroy others, seeking to round them all up and destroy them at once. But Tea resisted the bait and kept the shots coming in from all angles.

"Fate!" she shouted, loud enough for the other girl to hear, continuing to use the remaining shots to harass her in the air. "I'm the only one you haven't managed to touch yet. You have to take me down if you want to finish off the rest. Or can't you do that?"

Fate's face betrayed almost no emotion, but there was a hint of a snarl. She said nothing, but brought her Riot Zanber blades together to form the larger Zanber form. In one 360 degree swing of the giant sword, she swept the remaining shots from the sky, then dove at the taunting gunner.

Teana grit her teeth and braced her legs as she activated dagger modes on both her guns; this was going to hurt. Fate swung down and Tea blocked the sword above her head with crossed daggers, the force of inertia due to Fate's rapid dive plus the sword swing sending a strong shock through her body. But somehow she held, the golden blade mere centimeters from her skull.

She clenched an eye shut, pouring what magic she had into maintaining the daggers. [Need... to hold on a little more... Hayate... hurry!]

"[Okay, Teana, now!]" Hayate sent.

"You can probably take me out now," Tea said through clenched teeth, dropping to one knee, her daggers flickering. "But it's going to cost you."

Fate's eyes widened as she glanced upward at what Tea was looking at. A large, dark, crackling ball of magical energy hovered several meters above them.

"Diabolic Emission!" Hayate shouted, releasing the energy.

Fate took off, and Tea did the same, pointing her guns down and activating her thruster flares as Hayate's spell exploded. The gun mage took off like a rocket, horizontal to the ground as she dodged trees, the edges of the spell nipping at her heels. After a bit, she changed her heading, shooting up into the air at a 45 degree angle, trying to get as much altitude as she could. Her current cartridges emptied fully, and she replaced them with her last magazines as the forward momentum kept her rising.

Concentrating, she felt for the magic in the air, pointing her guns downward. The magic began to gather at the end of her guns' barrels.

Fate managed to outrun the blast, pausing and panting at it's outermost edge. That's when the chains snagged her, cast by a waiting Arf with a prepared spell. She added ankle and wrist binds as well, straining to hold the struggling Fate in her weakened state.

"[Tea, hurry, I can't hold her much longer!]" Arf sent, wincing in pain.

The gun mage concentrated, willing the process to speed up. She needed as much magic as she could get. Too little and it wouldn't be enough; too much and Fate would figure out what was happening before she could fire. "[Arf, get clear!]"

Fate began to break free.

"Starlight... BREAKER!" Tea shouted, firing the built up ball of golden-orange magical energy, combining it with the magic in her cartridges.

Fate broke free as she scanned the ground and horizon, not expecting the attack to be coming from above until it was too late. The huge beam slammed into her, her body disappearing from view within. After several moments, the magic became spent, the beam shrinking and disappearing. Fate hovered for a moment, then began to fall, releasing Bardiche as her head tipped backwards.

"Fate!" Arf cried, switching to woman form and flying up to catch the falling girl.

"I did it," Tea said, smiling as she floated in the air, then passed out.

x~~*~~x

"[Agito, ready?]" Signum asked.

The little demon grinned evilly. "[Of course!]"

Signum reached out her left arm as both of them intoned: "Fire Phoenix Flash!" A sword of fire burst into existence from Signum's left hand, but then grew into more of a whip. Using both that and Levantine in fiery snake form, Signum spun the twin whips around her. "Dance of Flames!"

The twin fiery whips lashed out, crashing into gadgets and walls, and forcing Tre and Sette to back off. But Signum wasn't aiming for them, as she slashed into the various entrances and exits spread around the large hanger.

While Signum provided cover, Vita held out her hammer. "Graf Eisen, Limit Break!"

The hammed popped several cartridges. "Zerstörungform!" it announced, growing large and forming a drill on one end.

Vita whipped it around, increasing it's size as she flew at top speed towards the ceiling, then swung with the full rocket force behind it. "Zerstörung Hammer!"

"What is she doing!?" Tre exclaimed in disbelief as the ceiling cratered on impact, cracks spreading out from it.

"She's going to bring the whole place down on us!" Sette shouted in fear. "We have to get out of here!"

However, both cyborgs realized there was nowhere to escape to, as all the exits were destroyed via Signum and Agito's handiwork. In moments, the entire hanger was awash in metal rain as it caved in.

x~~*~~x

Quattro frowned as she watched her multiple screens from where she stood, behind her two compatriots.

"Now, if you'll be so kind as to come with me, I can assure that young Erio will be remain quite fine," Jail said pleasantly.

"It will be alright, for both of you," Uno added, smiling as the doctor held out his hand toward the small girl.

Caro retreated a bit, until her back was against the container, wondering what she should do as the two advanced toward her. She had come to save Erio and Fate, but if she didn't want Erio to be harmed, she'd have to become a prisoner again.

Suddenly the doctor's face contorted in shock and pain. "W-what!?"

Uno turned to see a blade protruding from his chest. "Quattro!? What are you-" Her line was cut off as Quattro pull the sword out and thrust it into Uno chest. "Y-you...."

"My my, I never did like you," Quattro informed her older sister with a smile. "Always looking down on the rest of us."

Jail turned on Quattro in anger, seizing her neck with his cyborg right hand, lifting her into the air as Uno stumbled back and collapsed. The #4 cyborg struggled a bit for breath, but it was obvious the doctor was losing strength. She kicked his chest wound from her raised position, causing him to wince and release his hold as he stumbled back, falling against the wall.

"I... never dreamed you'd... betray me?" he spat out, coughing up blood. "My... mistake."

"I've decided I've grown tired of your dream," she told him bluntly. "I used to admire your intelligence, and thought I wanted your world. Yet, you've failed over and over. Any world you create would doomed to failure. I've had it."

Caro stared, wide-eyed. "You... why?"

Quattro turned without a word, typing into a screen. Erio's pod emptied and opened, and she caught the young boy, as he coughed a few times. She removed her tan robe and draped it around him, then handed him to Caro to hold.

"He'll be fine," Quattro told her, sighing and sitting down. "Well, I'm now your prisoner, summoner girl. What would you have me do?"

Caro could only stare, befuddled at the strange turn of events.

"Signum, Vita, anyone!" came Hayate's voice over the short range radio. "Respond!"

"T-this is Caro," she replied, sensing the desperation in Hayate's words. "I got separated from the others. I also found Erio."

"We have Fate," Hayate told her. "She was brainwashed, but we got her under control. However, she just went into convulsions!"

Caro's head came up as she addressed Quattro and the dying doctor. "What did you do to Fate!?"

Quattro had a look of confusion on her face, but the doctor behind her spoke. "You... shouldn't have killed me. I... linked her mental state... to mine. It's the only... way I could.. enforce my will on her... in so little time. With me dying... the device in her mind is failing... Quattro, I hope you... find your world..." His eyes rolled back into his head and he was still.

The young girl despaired at the thought of losing the only real mother she had known. "No!"

The turncoat cyborg stood, typing quickly into a holographic keyboard. "Follow me, and tell your comrades to bring Fate in. There still may be a way to save her. I'll open all external passages and deactivate all drones."

Caro could only continue to stare.

Quattro stopped and looked back. "Hurry, if you value her life!"

x~~*~~x

Shamal opened the door and turned on the light. "Nanoha? Are you alright? I thought I saw something flash inside here."

Nanoha was sitting up, holding a finger up to the breathing mask. "Shhh."

The doctor looked down to see Nanoha's other hand gently petting the young girl's hair who was sleeping on the bed next to her mama, then whispered, "Vivio? How did she get in here?"

The young mother shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she just missed sleeping next to her mother."

Shamal walked over to Nanoha, bringing up a window to run a quick check on her patient. "You should be getting some rest, too." Her eyes narrowed.

Nanoha tilted her head to the side a bit. "Shamal? What is it?"

x~~*~~x

Fate was laid out on the table, her head hidden under some sort of device, while Quattro typed furiously away at the controls. Thankfully, the convulsions had stopped, at least.

"Are we sure about this?" Subaru asked, having found a chair to sit in. Hayate's group had found her on their way back in.

"We don't have a choice," Hayate replied, watching Quattro intently, wishing she had brought Shamal. "We'd never get her back to Mid-Childa in time."

Signum and Vita said nothing, having arrived after the others while carrying a bound Tre and Sette. The latter pair seemed unusually subdued in attitude as well. When questioned, Vita had just smiled and Signum replied cryptically that their fighting spirit had collapsed along with the house.

Arf knelt by the table in child form, holding Fate's right hand, her sides covered in bloody bandages, tears in her eyes. "Fate...."

"Well, how is it!?" Teana interrogated the enemy cyborg.

"Better if I wasn't disturbed!" Quattro nearly snapped, but there was a hint of worry in her voice... or was it Hayate's imagination? "It's not good. The device in Fate's brain is going out of control, breaking down, causing damage to the surrounding tissue. I've contained it for now, but I don't think I can remove it all before the containment field destabilizes!"

"You said you could save her!" Caro cried, still holding the unconscious Erio.

"I'm trying!" Quattro replied. "But Fate is weak from her fight. She used up a lot of her magical strength. There's not much energy in her body to draw on right now!"

Arf stood up. "So you're saying that you can save her if she had more magical energy available."

"Arf, what are you..." Hayate started to ask.

"Yes, probably, but I'm not sure how we'll do that," the cyborg replied. "Magic isn't my area of specialty."

"I'll do it," Arf stated resolutely, climbing up on the table and crawling over Fate's body. "I have a lot of Fate's magic within me. If I return it, Fate should survive. Plus, I'm still drawing magic from her even now, although it's not much."

"Arf, you can't!" Subaru shouted. "You'll die!"

"I know," the young Arf said sadly as a gentle orange aura enveloped her. "But Fate's well-being and happiness are everything to me. She gave me life. If Fate dies, I'll die anyway. At least this way, one of us can survive."

"Arf...." Hayate whispered, her eyes wavering as she held back tears. "I understand."

Arf began to fade as the aura intensified. "Hayate... everyone... I was glad to have met you. Please tell Nanoha and Yuuno that I'm sorry, and that I was glad to have met them, too. Tell Fate, I was proud to be her familiar...."

Her child body collapsed onto Fate's, disappearing within the orange magical energy. The color fluctuated as orange changed to a brilliant golden hue, then saturated Fate's body.

Arf was gone.

x~~*~~x

Her eyes opened slowly to see several people looking down on her. "What... happened?"

"The doctor brainwashed you," Hayate told her sadly. "You were injured badly."

Fate looked around at the happy, yet sad, faces surrounding her. "I think I... remember some of it. Jail... put something in my head." She blinked. "Why are you all so sad? What else happened? Am I going to be okay?"

Teana looked down. "Fate... I'm sorry..."

"What!?" Fate demanded to know.

"Miss Arf..." Caro tried to say. "She..."

Fate looked around, noticing her familiar's absence. "What about Arf? Where is she?"

"She gave up her life to save yours," Zafira said softly. "She returned the magic you gave her. I'm sorry."

Fate felt as if a truck hit her. "She wouldn't... that can't be the truth..." Yet even Zafira was... crying? At least she thought he was, before he turned away. "Subaru? Hayate?"

"It's my fault," came another voice. "You can blame me. It was my killing of Jail Scaglietti that triggered your convulsions, and thus forced your familiar to give up it's life to save you."

Fate looked past Teana and Hayate, seeing Quattro sitting there in binds. "Quattro!?" Fate's eyes narrowed in anger and she tried to get up, but Subaru and Teana held her down. "Let me go!"

"Fate, stop!" Teana shouted. "She also helped save your life!"

The angry girl paused, although she was still tense. Then she noticed the red-stained bandages resting in her lap. She reached out towards them in confusion.

"They were Arf's," Hayate confirmed. "She had been injured in battle."

It was if the bandages were the trick that brought her past her denial. Shakily, she picked them up, holding them close, recognizing Arf's scent on them.

Fate broke down, crying, holding the bandages to her chest.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Yes, poor Arf indeed. This chapter went a bit longer than normal, but there was a lot I wanted to fit in. There was a bit of foreshadowing in earlier chapters, with Arf's desire to risk her life and find ways to make herself useful to Fate. And hopefully I kept a bit of surprise throughout this chapter, relating to who would make it and who wouldn't.

Fate fans should enjoy the next chapter, as I journey into the dangerous WAFF territory...

I had Quattro's Heel Face Turn planned from the beginning, but it's still not over yet. I have a few more surprises planned where she is concerned. But I'll talk about it a bit more in the notes at the end of the next chapter.


	16. Birthday

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 16: Birthday**

Xx~~*~~xX

Nanoha walked down the street with Fate, holding a large umbrella for the both of them as a shield against the rain. It had been several days since the incident, and Fate was still depressed over the loss of Arf. With Hayate's urging, the TSAB had given all of them time off to mourn the incident, and to help Fate recover. In the times that Nanoha herself couldn't be with her, someone else was.

The point was to make Fate realize that she wasn't alone.

For instance, yesterday Hayate and Teana had spent part of the day at Nanoha's house, while she had gone out with Yuuno. She had wanted to spend some time with him once she got out of the hospital. At first she was going to put it off again because of Fate, but Fate herself told Nanoha to do it.

And Yuuno was surprisingly understanding, as they spent the day walking around town. They were able to discuss and share their own memories of Arf, which helped each deal with the loss. Plus, Yuuno had mentioned he was working on something that might help, but he didn't want to divulge any details. He did however convince Nanoha to go ahead with another surprise for Fate, because he knew for sure it would help.

As Nanoha walked her home, she noted that Fate seemed to be feeling a bit better. Their appointment with Signum did appear to have had a bit of an effect. At first, Nanoha didn't know what the Belkan Knight had planned when she was asked to bring Fate by the facility; she was understandably surprised when Signum attacked Fate. And at first, Fate didn't even fight back or defend herself.

Then Signum insulted her, saying Arf had a pitiful master as a familiar, and that's why she was so weak.

Like a demon, Fate struck back then. The resulting duel lasted several hours, leaving both combatants gasping for breath, barrier jackets half-destroyed.

Nanoha remembered Signum's words then: "This is what Arf gave her life for. She gave it for the Fate who fights, not the Fate who hides. Mourn her passing, but don't betray the meaning of her sacrifice."

The pony-tailed girl glanced at Fate walking to her left. The other girl looked up, and managed a smile in return, which was more than she had been able to do for the past few days.

"I'll be alright," Fate assured her. "It's just... I always took Arf for granted, as someone who would always be there. Even back then, Linith eventually left, and I just had my mother and Arf. My mother, who would never show me any kindness, except in my false memories from Alicia. Arf was there, helping me, even when I was fighting you over the Jewel Seeds."

Nanoha switched the umbrella to her right hand, as she reached her left arm across Fate's shoulders in a hug, smiling. "Yuuno confessed to me yesterday, that he still has occasional nightmares where he sees Arf eating his ferret form, ever since their first meeting when she chased him. He always thought they'd go away eventually, but he still has them from time to time."

Fate couldn't help a short laugh, although her eyes began to leak again. "Arf would never do that. She liked Earth's dog food too much." She wiped her eyes and turned to look at Nanoha again, trying to look brave. "But I'll be fine, really. It will just take some time. How are you doing?"

"That's the strangest thing," Nanoha replied, remembering. "Shamal said I was in perfect health. Even my linker core was back up to full strength, to a state even pre-dating even my first hospitalization. She's still going over the data. But for now, I feel great, physically." She tapped her chest with her fist for emphasis.

"I heard they also let that clone of your brother's and that other girl go," Fate said softly.

"The Bureau wanted to keep them even after the programming was removed, but we persuaded them that captivity would only make their situation worse," Nanoha explained. "Plus, they don't have too long to live, either, so they technically wouldn't be a threat. Shamal said another year, tops, but could be as short as a few months."

She recalled the looks on their faces when she had told them that. They hadn't wanted to believe it, but that was okay. She told them they could come back anytime for checkups if needed. It was also nice to finally talk to the girl, who couldn't remember her own name. So she took the name the Kyoya clone had for her: Miyuki. She was shy and gentle, though, not quite like the personlity of Nanoha's own sister. Although physically, she resembled the real Miyuki a great deal, except for the short white hair.

It did make her think of her own siblings. Somewhere along the line, Jail had gotten DNA samples from them. Were they alright? The records they found in the system didn't say. Even Quattro didn't know.

That was another enigma. The cyborg had taken out Jail and Uno, and given Erio back to Caro. And then worked to save Fate's life. She was now in the same maritime rehabilitation facility that the first batch of cyborgs had occupied, along with Tre and Sette, who had lost all of their inner fire with their last defeat.

Nanoha recalled her conversation with Quattro...

x~~*~~x

"What?" the cyborg asked, turning away from the window to look at her visitor.

"I said, 'Thank you for saving Fate,'" Nanoha repeated. "And I also wanted to ask why you did what you did."

"Heh, sure, whatever," Quattro turned away, gazing out the window again for several long moments. "You once asked me what I wanted. Once upon a time, I thought I knew what that was: I wanted Jail's world, where science reigned supreme. I was a cyborg, in a world of magic. I thought everyone else around me were weak, tools to be used. That's the reasoning I was born with, and what the doctor and my first sisters, Uno and Due, believed."

"So what changed?" Nanoha pressed.

Quattro laughed. "Despite all the planning and scheming, Jail lost. I lost. I thought I would be reviled in a world of magic, but I see my sisters fitting in. I thought they were just weak, and were becoming lap dogs. And then I realized Jail was losing again.

She turned to face Nanoha, confusion and anger on her face. "What is it! What do you have that I don't? I wanted to see you as weak and inferior, but it's obvious that you aren't. I don't understand it! And I hated it!" She laughed bitterly. "And now here I am, totally defeated, spilling my guts to you, without a care in the world what happens next. You might as well put me out of my misery, because I don't think I can live in this stupid world. Doesn't the Bureau have a death penalty?"

Nanoha shook her head, smiling slightly. "I'm afraid not. As bad as the administration can be sometimes, they like to believe that everyone is capable of rehabilitation." She shifted her stance, studying the cyborg. "It's never an easy thing, finding out the world you knew is completely different."

"You speak as if you would know anything about that," Quattro spat out.

"I was an ordinary girl once, not knowing what I would do with my life," the other girl began. "And then I met a talking ferret and discovered magic, and that happened a few minutes before I was attacked by a monster I could never imagine existed. Everything I knew about the world was turned upside-down."

The cyborg returned to the window. "Yes, your world is quite a scientific-minded one. The doctor was thinking of taking it over after he established his bases here." She paused, sighing. "You and your friends have something. Even my sisters that joined you now have something. I don't understand it."

Nanoha smiled. "I think, by saving Erio and Fate, you've taken your first steps towards that."

Quattro looked at the other girl for a moment, then turned away again.

x~~*~~x

"Nanoha?" Fate asked, breaking the other girl out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, my mind just drifted a bit there," she replied. "Thinking back to my conversation with Quattro." Nanoha watched Fate's reaction.

The other girl tightened up a bit, but calmed down afterward. "She killed Jail and Uno, and triggered the reason why... Arf is gone. I should hate her, and yet I just feel tired now. Jail is gone; it's finally over. I heard she also helped discover the locations of the 20 or so relic bombs in the database."

Nanoha nodded, as the sky thundered. "Ginga and the rest of the cyborgs have been busy finding and disarming them over the past couple of days."

The couple walked up to the door of their house, and Nanoha collapsed the umbrella when they got under the roof.

"Nanoha..." Fate began as the other girl opened the door and they stepped in. "I want to thank you for watching over me. I suppose I should thank the others as well. I haven't exactly been the best of company these past few days."

Nanoha removed her shoes and walked down the hall with Fate. "Well, if you feel that way, perhaps you can tell them yourself."

Fate looked confused as Nanoha reached in and turned on the light to the living room.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" came the combined shout.

Fate stared in shock at the filled room, and the large banner above their heads that read: "Happy 21st Birthday, Fate!"

"Are you okay?" Nanoha inquired, smirking.

Tears began to leak out of the birthday girl's eyes. "I... I don't know what to say... You..."

"You don't have to say anything, Fate," Hayate suggested. "We've actually been planning this for awhile, but thought now was a good time for you to be reminded that while all of us here miss Arf, we are also glad you are alive. And I know Arf would feel the same way."

Fate glanced between various faces. "Hayate, Signum, Teana, Caro, Erio..."

"We told you that we'd always be there for you," Erio reminded her. "You saved me from the institute and gave me a home. And then saved me again from the doctor."

"How about it, Testerossa?" Signum asked, Vita mirroring her own smile. "Everyone here seems to think something of you."

Fate couldn't find her voice at first, turning around quickly, but eventually managed a "Thank you."

Outside, the rain stopped, and the first rays of sun began to peek through the clouds.

"Alright, that's enough!" Shamal announced. "Break it up and give the Birthday girl some space. There's snacks and punch, and cake will come later!"

"That's what I'm here for!" Vice announced, which earned a chorus of laughter.

x~~*~~x

Fate continued to look over the faces spread about the room, engaged in various conversations, continually surprised at who was here. Besides Hayate's family and the ones she noticed before, the others in attendance were Vivio, Arisa, Suzuka, Chrono, Lindy, Genya, Subaru, Shari, Verossa, Carim, Schach, Alto, and even Griffith. So many people and friends she had made over the years; a far cry from the lonely girl who was beaten by her mother.

But someone seemed missing, and at first she couldn't figure out who, then the answer finally came to her.. "Nanoha, where's Yuuno?"

Nanoha handed her some punch. "He said he was working on something important, but he promised he'd be here. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll show up."

Hayate walked up to them. "Hey, you two, you need to see something." She ticked her head slightly in a particular direction.

"You mean Vice?" Nanoha asked in a low voice, to which Hayate nodded.

"He's going up to Signum?" Fate wondered aloud.

"I heard about it only recently, but supposedly there was a betting pool that he was going to make a move eventually," Hayate explained, smirking.

"He doesn't seem to be too successful," Nanoha noted, as Signum took the offered punch, appeared bemused, then nodded towards him and walked away. Vice sighed and all three girls turned away before he looked their way.

"Maybe not, but it'll give me good material to tease her about later," Hayate said, then noticed something else. "Excuse me, there is someone else I need to talk to."

Fates eyes drifted around the room, and felt a similar urge. "Yes, I need to speak to someone, too."

Nanoha let the two girls go, while Fate crossed the room to a corner where Teana and Subaru were chatting. They both noted her approach.

"Teana, may I speak to you for a moment?" Fate asked.

The gun mage glanced at the cyborg girl next to her, and then back to Fate. "Sure."

"I can go check out the snack table," Subaru offered, beginning to step away.

"No, you can stay, Subaru," Fate replied, causing the other girl to halt in curiosity.

"First, I want to apologize to you, Teana Lanster," Fate admitted. "And to you, Subaru Nakajima. You both tried to stop me that night, and I didn't listen. If I had, Arf might still be here now."

"You can't say that, Fate!" Teana protested, Subaru nodding in firm agreement. "You were doing what you thought was right! Who knows what Jail would have done to Erio and Caro if you hadn't?"

Fate shook her head. "Maybe, but there was a better way of going about it. I also wanted to apologize for how I've been treating you, Teana. You didn't deserve it. I was letting my emotions cloud my judgment. I had been working alone in the field for so long, that when I become upset, I tend to keep things to myself. I promise I'll be more open to you, if you want to continue are partnership."

Teana looked unsure. "What do you mean...?"

"I read Hayate's report, and I also have some memories from our fight," Fate explained. "She told me that, before, during, and for a bit after your Starlight Breaker, you were floating. You may not have realized it, but I think you've almost figured out how to fly, which means you can take the Rank A test soon."

The gun mage's mouth dropped open, but it was Subaru who spoke. "That's incredible, Teana! You've been working on that forever!"

"If you become A rank, you can file to become a solo field agent, if you desire," Fate continued. "So the choice is up to you. I might not be the easiest person to work with, and you've come a long way. I'd support you if you want to go solo."

The junior agent's head dropped for a moment, but when it came, she was smiling. "Thank you, Agent Harlaown. But I still feel as if I have much to learn. I would like to continue my training under you."

Fate smiled. "I would be honored to have you, not just as an aide or junior agent, but as a full partner."

x~~*~~x

Hayate stepped out onto the back patio, where she had noticed him go earlier. She had an inkling of what may be on his mind, but she wanted to hear it directly from him. So she asked.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Mistress," Zafira replied, his back to her.

"Don't give me that 'Mistress' bit," she ordered. "We're family, not master and servant now. But if you want to play that, then I order you, as your mistress, to tell me what's on your mind."

Zafira chuckled, defeated. "I... find myself missing Arf more than I thought I would," he admitted. "As far as I can remember, I only thought of serving my masters faithfully. That was enough to make me happy. Even now, just being a part of this... family... and going wherever you go, was enough."

Hayate saw where this was going. "You developed feelings for Arf."

He nodded, his back still to her. "I didn't think it proper, as it might detract from my service to you."

She sighed. "Zafira, out of all the family the Book of Darkness gave me, you've been the most stubborn with regards to the changes. Shamal has become a mother to me, and Vita a younger sister. Even Signum has softened her protector role, becoming almost like an older sister. But you remained a servant."

"Perhaps because I was originally a guardian beast, and they were human," he postulated, shrugging. "I was originally created to serve masters."

Hayate embraced him from behind, causing him to stiffen. "You're like an older brother to me, Zafira. Promise me, that if you find someone else that you develop feelings for, that you'll explore it. I want you to consider your own wishes and feelings, too." She smiled. "I'll make it another order if I have to."

Zafira sighed, and turned around, awkwardly trying to hold her back. "I promise."

Hayate held him for awhile, then pulled back. "Good, now let's go back and enjoy the party, okay?"

x~~*~~x

"Yuuno-kun, you came!" Nanoha exclaimed, then noticed his face. "What's wrong?"

"I need to talk to Fate," he said quickly, scanning the room. "It's important. I'll need you, too, and probably want Hayate there as well."

"I think Erio is showing her Strada's version of Zanber form, as a sort of gift, to show her how much he's learned from her," Nanoha said. "Let me contact them telepathically, and tell them to meet us in the entry hall."

In moments, the three girls and Yuuno were away from the action, and he launched into his explanation, by holding up a book. "This is from the Infinity Library. It was something I had discovered earlier in my cataloging activities, but remembered it now. It's basically a how-to instruction book for creating a guardian beast."

"I don't understand," Hayate asked. "What are you saying?"

"Well, Guardian Beasts are the ancient Belka form of familiars, with a few key differences," Yuuno replied, barely containing his excitement. "First off, they were created by many mages as individual beings, not tied to any particular life force, but obedient to the royalty of the era. After the Belka kingdom fell, the Guardian Beast creation process slowly changed into the familiar system we know today. Fate, Nanoha told me you still have those bandages?"

"Y-yes, I do, why?" Fate questioned, looking very much surprised and confused.

Nanoha jumped in. "Yuuno, don't tell you're saying what I think you're saying..."

He nodded. "It may be possible to bring Arf back, using the Guardian Beast system. A familiar is merely magic pulled out and linked to an already living creature, but a Guardian Beast is deliberately shaped, using various components and mental imagery, to essentially create a unique creature. Arf is technically still inside you, Fate. If you believe hard enough, and if enough people chip in magic power, we can pull her back out using the DNA from the blood in the bandages. But I can't promise she'd be exactly the same. It's up to you."

The two other girls turned to Fate as Hayate said, "This is your decision, Fate. I lost Reinforce, but gained Rein Zwei, so I've been in your shoes."

Fate looked wildly back and forth between the two girls and Yuuno, considering the implications. It was definitely a huge decision. All of them knew if it failed, it could really affect Fate's mental state badly.

Her eyes eventually settled on determination. "Let's do it. Arf gave her life for me. The least I can do is try to return it to her. It's worth the risk. I understand it may not work, but I have to at least try."

x~~*~~x

More than one person offered their support. In fact, nearly the entire birthday party stood ready to assist, as Yuuno created the magic symbols on the ground. When he was questioned as to why it was a pentagram, Yuuno said it was kinda complicated, but that it allowed for more specific input into a magic spell. However, due to that it wasn't really suited to quick combat.

The time came, and the bandages with Arf's blood on them were placed in the center along with Fate, while those with magic created a ring outside. The pentagram began to spin and Yuuno told Fate to focus on Arf; her physical makeup, personality, attitude, skills, everything. And just like when she created the familiar the first time, to let her magic flow freely.

Everyone else focused, letting their magic flow into the storm to assist Fate as she thought strongly of Arf. The storm of magical energies formed a whirlwind, glowing golden against the evening sky. The pentagram spun faster and faster, almost resembling a circle. At the crescendo, the golden tornado turned a brilliant orange and collapsed into the center. There was an explosion, and a dust cloud obscured everything.

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha called running into the center at the same time as Yuuno. Both inwardly wondered if it had worked.

The smoke and dust cloud began to clear, from the center first, revealing a golden-haired girl staring in wonder... at the form of a familiar orange canine.

"ARF!" Fate cried, dropping to her knees to wrap her arms around the neck of the beast, eyes tearing up. "Arf... I missed you..."

The canine beast opened her eyes, staring in confusion and wonder. "...Fate?"

Fate leaned back to look her familiar in the eyes. "Yes, it's me! Are you okay?"

Arf blinked. "I... don't know. You are... Fate, right?"

Nanoha and Yuuno looked at each other with concern, while Fate's smile began to fade a bit. The dust cloud had nearly vanished by now, and the onlooker simply stared in wonder.

"Don't you remember me, Arf?" she asked desperately.

Arf thought long and hard for several long moments. "I... you... I remember you used to be shorter at one time..."

Fate nodded fiercely, her smile beginning to return. "My teacher, Linith, helped me create you when I was young. Do you remember anything else?"

The canine cocked her head, noticing Nanoha. "I remember... fighting you...? But... you're a friend now? It's all so confusing."

"Fate, it may take awhile for Arf's memories to return," Yuuno stated. "We should give it time. It's been a particular harrowing experience for her, and you."

Fate nodded, hugging Arf again tightly, who licked Fate's cheek when the girl pulled back. The crowd cheered, but Hayate and Shamal soon ushered them out back into the house, on the promise of cake soon. Soon, all that were left was Fate, Arf, Yuuno, and Nanoha.

"Take as long as you need, Fate," Nanoha said, nodding to Yuuno and turning toward the house.

"Yeah, we'll be just inside when you're ready," the Infinity Librarian added, turning to go, but suddenly found arms restricting him.

Fate spun him around and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Yuuno. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present, then for you to bring Arf back to me."

Before he could respond, Fate reached up and kissed his cheek, surprising both Yuuno and Nanoha. The former blushed, while the latter looked on in wonder, and a bit of something else.

"Ah, eheh, y-you're welcome," Yuuno replied at last when Fate let him go. "Like I said, come inside for cake when you're ready, okay?"

Fate nodded, turning back to Arf and Yuuno as Nanoha walked back to the house.

x~~*~~x

"Something is on your mind," Fate stated in a matter-of-fact voice from the bedroom doorway. The new Arf was asleep in Vivio's room. She seemed to remember Vivio as well, so there was hope. Even if Arf didn't remember everything, it was enough.

"W-what do you mean?" Nanoha asked, startled, from where she sat on the bed.

"You've been brushing the same side of your hair absentmindedly for the past thirty minutes," the other girl pointed out.

Nanoha froze, lowering the brush into her lap and holding it with both hands. "It's that obvious?"

The golden-haired girl came to sit down beside her partner. "We've been friends for a long time; I can read you." She reached over and placed a hand on top of Nanoha's. "And it must be something serious if you haven't talked to me about it, so it must mean it's something you think might hurt me. Although I know I haven't been myself for the past few days, and I was a prisoner of Jail's for awhile before that..."

Nanoha sighed, wondering how to put her thoughts and feelings into words, recalling Fate's earlier hug and kiss. "How... how do you feel about Yuuno?"

Fate considered it, the light of comprehension dawning. "Oh, I see where this is going. Did he finally say something?"

"No, Agito told me, and while I was unsure if it was true, everything makes so much sense when I think about it now," Nanoha confessed, then her head came up to stare at the other girl, cheeks slightly red. "Wait, you knew!"

"Hayate mentioned it awhile ago," Fate said softly, smiling. "I think the only person who didn't know how he felt about you, was you. But to answer your question, I like him. He's a great guy, and somehow always comes through for us. The three of us go way back, don't we?"

Nanoha's gaze lowered back to the brush in her hands. "Yeah, all the way to the Jewel Seeds."

"How do *you* feel about him?" Fate asked, returning the question.

"I..." she tried to voice her thoughts. "I don't know. Ever since I found out, I've tried to keep myself distracted to avoid thinking about it. I... think I'm afraid."

Fate thought she began to understand, when she thought about what might happen if Nanoha dated Yuuno.

Unspoken between them was the bond the two girls had formed. It was something they never spoke aloud, and just let things stand where they may. On the surface, they were best friends, but there were those feelings lurking down below, things left unsaid. It was an easy sort of coziness, of familiarity; to let things stay in the comfort zone, rather than risk any uncomfortable unknowns. Life was decently good, so why upset it?

"You're afraid if you go into it, that it may... interrupt this," Fate said softly, voicing the unspoken thoughts for the first time between them. "That I'd be pushed out and hurt."

Nanoha's head came back up, staring at Fate with wavering eyes that were beginning to tear up, and she suddenly reached out and wrapped her arms around the other girl's lower torso. "Fate-chan... I don't... ever want to hurt you! I don't want you pushed out!"

Fate felt the tears beginning to wet her nighty, as she reached an arm around Nanoha's shoulders. "I know..." She let the other girl cry herself out; even though she partially felt like tearing up herself, she knew she had to be the strong one here right now, despite the emotional wringer she had been through today.

"I-I'm sorry," Nanoha said at last.

"It's alright," Fate replied softly. "We've never really talked about... this. We've talked about everything else, but always avoided it."

Nanoha pulled herself away, shaking a little, but Fate kept her arm around the other girl. "...I didn't want to think too much about it, because it scares me a little... like I'm not normal... It's not normal in my world. I mean, I know by the standards of my world, I'm not normal, because I use magic and fly and travel on spaceships. But there was a small part of me that anchored a me to a few facts of normalcy. One being the relationships between boys and girls."

Fate couldn't help a small smile. "What is normal? I honestly don't know. I don't think I ever did. I started with false memories from Alicia, and then was given the treatment from my mother. Watching your life in school, along with Arisa, Suzuka, and Hayate, gave me a glimpse of what your life was like. You brought me out of a bad situation, and showed a whole new world to me." She touched her free left hand to her chest. "I'm not sure how to describe these feelings, but I want you to be happy. When you're happy, I am. When you're sad or hurt, I hurt here as well."

Nanoha leaned into Fate a little. "So, this isn't wrong?"

"I don't know how these feelings can be wrong," Fate admitted. "I don't know why wanting to spend time with the ones you care about could be considered wrong." She hesitated a moment. "We could stay like this. We don't have to go anywhere."

"There's one way to know," Nanoha stated softly, pulling away a bit and gazing into Fate's eyes. There was nervousness there, but something else as well; an eagerness perhaps.

Before Fate could realize what was going on, Nanoha had reached up and pulled Fate's face down to hers, lips meeting. So many feelings and thoughts assaulted her; that Nanoha's lips were warm, that the warmth was infecting her extremities, and that her own head was starting to feel dizzy.

After a few moments, she pulled away, and Fate could see the nervousness remaining in those blue eyes. And she was waiting.

Fate smiled, her face flushed. "That felt nice... I liked it."

"It wasn't strange at all?" Nanoha asked in a small voice.

"If it was, then maybe we're both strange," Fate replied, leaning her head in to gently press her lips against the other girl's. The feelings returned again, and she could feel the other girl kissing back, but also the wet streaks on Nanoha's cheeks.

They parted again and just held each other in silence for a moment, their relationship having taken a turn into uncharted territory after so many comfortable years. And despite the strange, yet warm feelings she was now experiencing, Fate knew that one other issue remained.

"I like Yuuno, too," Fate admitted softly. She felt the other girl tighten up. "Nanoha? Tell me what you honestly feel. You told me you asked Vivio that once, too."

"He introduced me to magic," the other girl began quietly. "At an age when I was wondering what I'd do with my life, he brought me into this, and now I can't imagine doing anything else. He's always been there to support me. Part of me wants to see, but how can I even attempt to pick him or you?"

"Who says you have to?" Fate stated, causing the other girl to look up her in surprise. "Yuuno has done much for me, too. Without him, I wouldn't have met you. And he just brought Arf back to me. I think I'd wouldn't mind being in a family with him."

"Family..." Nanoha wondered aloud, then laughed. "I wouldn't have thought I'd get into that. The Japanese have a word for it: saishoudoukin. Living with a wife and mistress at the same time."

Fate smiled mischievously. "So, would I be the wife or mistress?"

Nanoha pulled back, waving her hands frantically. "I-I didn't mean it like that!"

Fate laughed. "Well, it's up to him. And you. Promise me that you'll talk to him? Because if you don't, I will. I want you to honestly explore it, not worrying about me for now, because I will always be here to support you."

The other girl sighed, and reluctantly answered, "I promise."

"Good," Fate said, nodding, then standing up. Her emotions had really been around the roller-coaster today. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. Let's get some sleep." She slid in and over to the far side of the bed.

Nanoha yawned, sliding under the covers as well while Fate turned off the lights. She lay there awhile, then her hand sought out Fate's, grasping under the sheets. After awhile, the two embraced, each needing to feel the presence of the other for the moment.

Smiling, they fell asleep.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Regarding Arf: There's a saying: "No one ever truly dies in sci-fi." Good guys and bad guys, even if they have a very pronounced death, can come back as a clone, or a duplicate from another reality, or somehow their death was staged using elaborate technology. What this Arf is, I'll leave as an exercise to the reader: the real thing returned? Or a new version with some scattered memories that Fate had? To be honest, I'm not even entirely sure; I'll toss more hints as the plot demands, but keeping it in the air for now. I know some people think a character coming back to life after a dramatic death is kind of cheap (and sometimes I do, too), but that's just how sci-fi happens sometimes. And as Hayate noted with Reinforce and Rein Zwei, this has happened before, and Arf may or may not be similar.

Shippings: I don't want to say too much, but I'm always amused at shipping wars in fandoms. I used to be a part of it (different fandom), but now I just like to sit back and enjoy. While Seven Arcs likes to be dodgy, I feel it needed addressing eventually, and the way I wrote it, is kinda what I feel has been going on, mostly. Part of me can also see them as just being best friends, almost sisters in a way, too; both viewpoints are equally valid. And we'll see what happens with Yuuno.

HOWEVER! If you don't want to be surprised and would like to know the pairings by the end, send me a PM, and I'll tell you. Just ask that you keep it to yourself, to avoid spoiling others.

Quattro: I have to confess that my main desire to write this path for her, was the fact that Nanoha blasted her with a powerful Divine Buster back in Episode 25 of Strikers. And everyone that Nanoha shoots, becomes a friend or ally. Therein lies the challenge: write a sequence which has Quattro getting a change in paths. She's probably not totally there yet, but we'll see. Hope it was believable!

So what's next? Stay tuned! It's far from over, and our heroes are in for a shock as the plot gets rolling next chapter.


	17. Nightmares from the Past

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 17: Nightmares from the Past**

Xx~~*~~xX

The new Arf, now in woman form, looked on in curiosity from where she sat on the checkup bed, as Shamal completed her scans. The doctor noticed this, and smiled in return as she closed out the floating screens.

"Well, it appears you are quite healthy," Shamal stated, which earned sighs of relief from the three other people looking on. "I'd also say her physical strength is a bit higher than normal, but I couldn't say by how much. The interesting thing is, she's no longer drawing magic from you, Fate."

"I figured that might happen," Yuuno admitted. "Being a Guardian Beast is a bit different than being a familiar." He chuckled. "It's not as simple as a mere palette swap!"

Arf laughed, looking down at her hands, clenching and un-clenching them in fascination.

Nanoha looked back and forth between Fate and Arf. "Are you okay, Fate?"

The golden-haired girl nodded, walking up to Arf and taking her hand. "How do you feel? Do you remember anything else?" She didn't want to admit that she was finding differences, mainly in some actions and personality. Was this the real Arf or not? This one seemed a bit more child-like and playful.

"Well, let's see..." the newly-born Guardian Beast said, brow furrowing in concentration. "I think I kinda remember Yuuno... but wasn't he a small animal?"

Yuuno chuckled, dropping into ferret form and jumping up onto Arf's lap. "Well, this is how you first knew me."

Her face lit up. "Oh yeah, Nanoha's familiar!"

The pony-tailed girl blushed and sighed, while Yuuno sweat-dropped.

"Well, that's all for now," Shamal said. "She's free to go. Walking around and meeting people might help trigger some memories." She turned toward Nanoha. "Also, the results of your other tests I've been running should be completed later today, so I'll contact you later this afternoon or evening."

Nanoha nodded as Yuuno hopped down, returning to human size while Fate took Arf's hand and helped her off the bed.

"I have a few things to take care of today, so if you'd come with me, Arf," Fate said, heading for the door with Arf in hand.

"Oh, I'll come with you!" Nanoha stated.

Fate paused and turned around, a certain evil look on her face. "Oh no, these are things I need to do." She walked up and shoved a couple small pieces of paper into Nanoha's and Yuuno's hands. "You two should relax and have some fun." She fixed Nanoha with a meaningful gaze.

"These are tickets for Marine Garden?" Yuuno questioned. "I haven't been to that amusement park in a long time."

"Well, I'll see you guys later!" Fate informed them, smiling as she led Arf out.

Nanoha's cheeks reddened a bit, partially thankful her back was currently to Yuuno so he couldn't see the look on her face. She took a breath and turned towards him, smiling. "I suppose we can't let them go to waste! Shall we, Yuuno-kun?" She offered her hand.

Yuuno nodded, his cheeks also reddening a bit. "Um, sure!"

x~~*~~x

"You're always here so early!" Suzuka noticed, yawning as she entered the lab. "And is that _another_ new project?"

Shari looked up from the table, where a semi-human figure lay. "Yep. It was just brought in this morning. Jail outdid himself on this."

Suzuka studied the human-looking form, which could have passed for one, except it was in two parts, split across the lower torso. "A robot?" Although it almost reminded her of her old naked Barbie dolls, only without hair.

"Apparently Jail referred to them as series-14 androids," Shari explained. "This was the only one mostly intact. The rest were fairly well destroyed, although that gives us a decent amount of spare parts."

The junior technician's eyes came up. "You aren't going to try and repair it, are you!?"

Shari grinned evilly. "You should know me by now!" Her attitude shifted. "How is the inventory check coming?"

"I think Arisa and I are about 80% complete," Suzuka replied. "We should be able to confirm everything later today. Is there any extra word on who broke in?"

The senior technician shook her head. "No, only that they left a big hole in the wall, so we still have no idea what they were after. But for now, give me a hand with this, okay? You can get back to inventory checking after lunch."

Suzuka nodded, and summoned Whiskers, beginning to analyze Shari's data.

x~~*~~x

"So when are you going to take the test?" Subaru wanted to know as the two walked through town, taking advantage of their time off.

"What are you talking about?" Teana asked, pretending not to know.

Subaru playfully hit Tea's shoulder. "You know, the A rank test? Do you still need to work on flight some more?"

"It's not a pressing concern at the moment," the gun mage replied, shrugging. "I'm happy to stay where I am as Fate's partner for now."

The cyborg girl walked ahead and turned to block Tea's path, hands on hips while giving her a dirty look. "We both know you're lying. I _know_ how much you've been wanting to become stronger. I know you want to climb in ranks. You could probably even make AA rank, it's just that flying is keeping you from A rank."

Tea sighed, turning to a drink vending machine, pretending to study it. "I can wait until you're ready to take it, too."

Subaru blinked, then slowly grinned. "Oho! I see!" She sniffled.

Tea turned on her angrily. "What!?" She found herself the victim of a cyborg hug.

"Nothing," Subaru sniffled. "I'm just touched that you would want to wait for me!"

"Let me go!" the gun mage demanded angrily, lifting up a foot to brace against the other girl's stomach, pushing her away. She huffed, panting, her face red. "Don't ever do that to me in public again!"

Subaru laughed, then calmed down. "But you don't have to worry about me. With Wing Road I can participate in aerial combat, so I could probably qualify. I was actually waiting for you."

Tea stared at her, then turned and got a drink from the machine; she then walked past Subaru. "Do what you want, I don't care. You better hope your Wing Road qualifies, because I may take the test soon and I won't wait for you."

Subaru laughed and ran to catch up, walking beside her close friend.

x~~*~~x

"You again," the perturbed redhead noted. "What do you want?"

"I've come to apologize to you, Nove," Fate offered, bowing her head. "I made accusations to you last time that were inexcusable, and treated you with disrespect."

The cyborg girl clearly looked uncomfortable, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away. "Eh, forget about it. Wasn't a big deal."

"Don't mind her," Wendi said, grinning. "She's actually quite touched and would like me to relay her deepest thanks and admiration for your actions."

"Shut up, Wendi!" Nove shouted.

Fate turned to the others. "And I apologize to you as well, for disturbing the peace of your house."

Ginga smiled, walking up to place a hand on the humble girl's shoulder. "We understand, Fate. We've all been through a rough time."

"Then what's this for?" Dieci asked, indicating the box on the table, sniffing. "It smells good...."

Fate smiled, opening it, causing the girls to "ooh" and "aah." "I know you guys couldn't be there for my party, due to working on disarming those relic bombs, so I wanted to bring you cake as a peace offering. I had the chef who made the one for my party, make a duplicate just for your family."

Cinque produced a dagger and quickly sliced it up, pausing for a moment after to lick the frosting off it, he face emotionless the entire time. The other girls paused and stared at her.

The eye-patch girl produced a plate next. "I like cake, too," she said simply.

Dieci and Wendi went to get more plates and forks, while Ginga turned to Arf. "And how are you feeling?"

The orange-haired woman smiled, her large ears perking up. "Great! It's been real nice getting to know all of Fate's friends!"

Ginga paused, stealing a glance at Fate, who nodded slowly. "That's... great! So you don't know me at all?"

"Your name is Ginga Nakajima," Arf replied. "Fate showed me pictures and names on the way over." She looked up and down. "Don't you have roller skates?"

"Um, yes, I do," she replied, then smiled. "And so does Nove. Perhaps we should go skating sometime!"

Arf smiled. "Sounds like fun!"

"Who said I'd do that?" Nove asked, then quickly turned backed. "Hey, Wendi, that's the piece I wanted!"

The girls descended into a fit of giggles.

x~~*~~x

There was something different, he decided. Not just in her words and actions, but just in her general attitude towards him.

"You're deep in thought about something again, Yuuno-kun," Nanoha admonished, wagging her finger at him. "We're supposed to be having fun right now!"

He blushed, placing a hand behind his neck. "Sorry, Nanoha. So where did you want to go next?"

"Hmm, you decide!" She told him, smiling, hands behind her back.

"Well, we had lunch not too long ago," Yuuno said, leading her over to a stand. "How about some cotton candy?"

She thought about it. "Hmm, no thanks, but you get one for yourself, okay?"

He raised an eyebrow, but got one anyway, thanking the vendor before they began walking away. "Hey, I thought you didn't want anyway?"

Nanoha smiled, as she pulled her mouth away from the confection, swallowing. "I changed my mind."

[Okay, she is _definitely_ different today,] he confirmed as they walked through the amusement park. [This wasn't like the last time we came here, many years ago.] She continued to sneak bites of his cotton candy.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked him, keeping her gaze straight ahead.

"Oh, heh, not much," he replied, thinking quickly. "Just that I thought Fate's actions were a bit strange. It was almost like she was setting us up on a date or something. Isn't that funny?" He chuckled.

She ate the last of his confection, tossing the stick into a nearby trash bin, then glanced coyly at him. "Hmm, maybe it is?" She winked, making him speechless. "Oh, let's do this ride next!"

Stunned, Yuuno let himself be pulled along.

x~~*~~x

"Arf, you go ahead inside, ok?" Fate told her as they arrived back at the house. "I need to take care of something outside."

"Okay!" Arf agreed gladly, taking off her shoes in the entryway and heading in.

Fate paused a moment, then spoke out. "You can come out now. I know you've been following us all day. But I must admit, I can't figure out why."

Zafira hoped down from a tree in adult male form, and coughed. "I didn't think I was that obvious."

"Are you still worried about me or Arf?" Fate asked him. "Did Hayate ask you to keep an eye on us?"

"No, that's not it," he told her, shaking his head. "Hayate doesn't know I am here."

She tilted her head to the side a bit, confused. "Then what?"

He seemed to fumble for words. "Is, uh, Arf back to her normal self?"

"Not totally," Fate replied, trying to make sense of him. "Her personality is a bit different; she tends to act and speak as she was in her younger days. But there are times when she says or does something that is just what the old Arf would have said or done. Or she recalls a memory that only the old Arf would know."

"Ah, I see," Zafira noted, lowering his head a bit. "So I shouldn't impose just yet. Thank you for your time, Fate." He turned to go. "I apologize for my stalking actions. I won't trouble you further in this way."

Fate scratched her head. [What was that about?]

x~~*~~x

"You like the view that much?" Yuuno asked casually from his side of the Ferris Wheel car.

Nanoha nodded, her face up against the window.. "The view of the city, and the ocean from this height... It's almost like flying. We'll have to come back later when it's darker so we can see the lights."

Yuuno smiled, remembering how much she loved flying. Even back when he was training her, when she found out Yuuno could fly, she desperately wanted him to teach her, too. In some cultures, flying while in a dream represented freedom. Though he never felt quite the same way, he could see that Nanoha cherished the freedom she gained while in the sky.

"Sure," he replied, as the Ferris Wheel paused, their car 75% of the way up the wheel. It was in the process of changing out riders. "I'd like that."

She sat back down in her seat, opposite of him, her hands in her lap. "Thank you for coming with me today, Yuuno-kun. I'm having a great time." She smiled at him.

"Well, Fate kinda forced us, but I would have come anyway," he told her, chuckling a bit, then noticed a strange look in her eyes. What was there? "Nanoha?"

She shook her head as the wheel moved again, moving them almost to the top. "Nothing. I was just thinking about how long we've known each other, what we've been through, and how glad I am the current crisis situation is over."

Was she leaning towards him a bit? "Me too..." He replied, leaning a bit towards her as well. He could feel his heart beating strongly in his chest, loud enough that Nanoha should have been hearing it, too.

Her face seemed to loom closer and closer as their car moved to the top position. Was she actually going to...

She paused, inches apart, her eyes widening. "Yuuno-kun, look!"

"Huh?" he replied intelligently, looking where she was pointing. "Is that... Jail!?"

A large holographic image of the doctor was looming over Clanagan, and as he spread his hands, he began to speak, his voice seemingly coming from every conceivable speaker in the city and the park.

"Citizens of Mid-Childa, I bring you greetings!" he intoned, smiling. "If you are seeing this, then my final plans have failed, but my dream won't die with me. Those that labored with me, and those that are repressed under this system of magic, shall be set free. Magic empowers a single individual, but science empowers us all. I give the gift now, to those that seek a life free from the oppression of those would use magic to control and enslave you. This is my final gift, my final triumph!"

"What is he talking about it?" Yuuno wondered aloud as the holographic image faded. "I thought he-"

His words were interrupted by a powerful force that swept across him. It was like a wave, but it wasn't physical. It still gave him the chills, sending shivers all along his body.

"Nanoha, did you feel that?" he asked, turning back. "Nanoha!?"

Her eyes were wide, terrified, as she clutched her chest. "Y-Yuuno..." She could barely speak, as if she was having a heart attack. She looked up at him, helpless, trying to reach out to him.

Then she collapsed to the floor.

"Nanoha!"

x~~*~~x

Vivio had just stood in class, about to read a section of her book as instructed by her teacher, when Jail's public announcement came. Like everyone else, she was confused about what was going on.

And then the wave hit.

Like her mother, Vivio collapsed to the ground holding her chest, whimpering against the painful burning sensation. Her teacher and classmates gathered around her, calling for medical attention.

x~~*~~x

In the far reaches of outer space, seemingly empty of any matter, something else happened. If there were an observer, they would have talked about how space itself rippled, distorting. Energy lances shot out from a certain point, a hole. The energy didn't fully escape, but began to spiral around it, revealing that the hole was growing larger and larger.

And something began to emerge

Our hypothetical observer would be amazed at the sight. They would ascribe to it such monikers as "huge" and "beautiful." They would be shocked at how more and more kept emerging, until the object was fully in our space-time. Asked to describe it as simply as possible, they would say it was essentially a golden city set upon the fragment of an asteroid that was roughly the same size as the city itself.

But there was no observer here, and thus no one to know what had just happened... yet.

x~~*~~x

"Nanoha!" Yuuno called, rolling her over to her back. He was partially relieved that she was still conscious, but the sheer look of terror in her eyes tore his heart in two. "Hold on, I'll heal you!"

He spread his hands over he chest and tried to summon up his healing magic...

...and found he couldn't. "What the...?" His gaze returned to her face, just in time to see her eyes roll back into her head as she passed out. "NANOHA!"

He leapt to his feet, realizing he needed to get her to a doctor as soon as possible. But as he swung the ferris wheel car door open, initially planning to fly her down, but a sudden dread struck him. He experimented by trying to float, but found he couldn't. He despaired as he realized he wouldn't be flying her down. And there was no way he could climb down while carrying her.

However, he did realize some people below had noticed him opening the door. "HEY! UP HERE! MEDICAL EMERGENCY! WE NEED TO GET DOWN!"

Some of those people seemed to understand and pointed it out to the operator, who started up the wheel again. In moments, they were back down on the ground, and the park's medical staff had been summoned.

Yuuno could only stand by helplessly as they tried to revive her.

x~~*~~x

"He can't be serious!" Subaru exclaimed.

Tea concentrated for a moment, and then growled in frustration. "It's true, I can't gather any magic at all!"

"What's going on!?" a female passerby asked in fear.

"There's no more magic!" a male shouted. "The Bureau has failed us!"

"What will we do without magic!?" another female cried. Most of the population had some magic, even if it never went above D rank in power.

"Hey, I recognize those two," a second man called, pointing at Subaru and Tea. "They work for the Bureau! Let's get answers out of them!"

The two girls backed up as the crowd formed on them, murmuring and shouting, and demanding answers.

"We don't know anything!" Subaru protested. "This is as big a surprise to us as it is to you!"

An object was thrown at them, and working on instinct, Subaru shielded Tea, the knife cutting into her left arm. She winced, pulling the weapon out.

"Hey, she's one of them them cyborgs!" a male voice from the crowd shouted, drawing attention to the exposed circuitry in Subaru's arm. "Maybe she's in on it!" A few more objects were thrown, but this time just stuff like cans and rocks.

Tea stepped out in front of her friend, arms spread wide, her face angry. "Subaru is my friend, and a member of the Rescue division. She's helped to save more lives than any of you! There's no way she would be behind something like this!"

"It probably was all a trick, just to get in good with the Bureau and make us think she had no ulterior motives!" yet another voiced accused. That was met by a loud murmuring of agreement, and the crowd surged forward a bit more.

"I can still go cyborg mode and bust us out of here," Subaru whispered.

Tea shook her head slightly. "If you display any aggressive moves, or cause any damage, it will just confirm their fears."

A wall informed Subaru she couldn't back up anymore. "Well, I'm open to suggestions...."

"Stop it!" yelled a young blond-haired girl, accompanied by an even younger blond-haired boy, as they slipped out from the mob and stood in front of Tea, arms wide. "Subaru is a nice person! She saved me and my brother! How could a bad person save us?"

Subaru glanced over Tea's shoulder, getting the strangest feeling she had seen them before. "You're...."

The boy, appearing about 6 years old, looked up at her and smiled. "I'm Byron! You saved my sister, Katrina, and me on a sinking boat. I wanna be a rescue mage just like you!"

The rescue cyborg remembered. "That was shortly after I joined the Disaster Planning and Humanitarian Aid Division. I remember you two being so brave in the face of danger. You did well!"

The crowd paused. It may have been willing to assault two girls, partly because one of them wasn't human. But it wasn't quite willing to attack two children. There were shouted threats warnings to fix the situation fast, as the mob slowly broke up.

Katrina, who appeared to be about 9, finally turned around and smiled. "I've also been working on my magic. I'd show you, but it doesn't work now."

Subaru knelt down and half-smiled while patting her and her brother on the head. "I know. Mine doesn't work either. But me and my friend here, Tea, are going to go fix everything, I promise!"

"I believe you!" Byron declared.

Tea also knelt down. "But for now, you two should go find your parents and get to a safe place at home until everything is back to normal, okay?"

The two kids nodded, then took off towards an older couple not far away, who waved and smiled. Subaru and Tea waved back, then took off running towards headquarters.

x~~*~~x

"Fried!" Caro shouted, as the little dragon dropped to the ground.

He had just flown into the living room ahead of Erio when the announcement, and the wave, hit. The two were temporarily staying at Nanoha and Fate's house. They both knelt beside Fried as Caro picked him up.

"How is he?" Erio asked.

"Dragons use a bit of magic to fly," Caro told him. "He's confused and feeling a bit weak without it. But I'm not sure how long he can last like this."

Erio looked up as Fate and Arf came into the room. "What's going on?"

"I have an idea, but I'll need to confirm it," Fate told them. "You two stay here with Arf for now, and take care of Fried. I'll head in to headquarters and find out what's going on. Communications are down or clogged, so I can't get through. Try not to leave the house if you can; it will be dangerous without magic."

The two nodded. Fate smiled and hugged them, then they watched as she ran out the door to her car. But it didn't take them long to find out, via normal broadcasts, about the scope of what was happening.

All around the planet, magic was dead.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

"Kaijo, how the hell are our heroes supposed to fight things without magic!?" You'll see, as we head into the last leg of this marathon.

This chapter was actually fairly fun to write, as it's one I've had a very clear vision for in my head for a long time. Well, I had actually planned to segue directly from Jail's death into this, but after the idea for "Birthday" hit me(partially for Fate fans^^), I decided to give the rest of the cast a bit more of a breather and write in several nice character moments.

And for those fellow Tropers at home: It Got Worse. And it's going to get worse as well, as we test our characters real strengths.

Yuuno makes a joke near the beginning of this chapter, about a familiar and a guardian beast being more than a palette swap. This was a bit of a dig at Seven Arcs making Zafira look so much like Arf, probably to give her someone to fight. Though ultimately I don't have a problem with it; just a little joke. =)


	18. The City Awakes

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 18: The City Awakes**

Xx~~*~~xX

"How the hell did he do it!?" Fate demanded to know. "We should have defused all his relic bombs!"

Three hours later, Yuuno found himself in the medical facility outside Nanoha's room, along with the rest of their friends. There was no need to explain the main point; everyone had come to realize magic was gone. As the others talked behind him, he looked through the observation window at the occupants within, thankful that at least Nanoha and Vivio were stable for the moment.

Hayate shook her head. "I received a report a short while ago, when I was in an emergency meeting with the provisional council and other department heads. A couple of patrolmen happened across another relic bomb in the southern continent shortly before it went off. Apparently we didn't get them all. We're also receiving reports from other planets that were hit as well."

"Did Quattro mislead us?" Subaru asked. "Sending us to find decoys?"

"No, they were real," Shari told her. "Suzuka and I examined each one after the cyborgs disarmed them. Jail must have had more. And I wouldn't be so quick to blame Quattro, either, as we also had a chance to look through Jail's database. There was no data to suggest that there were more than the ones we found. She might not have known."

Suzuka, standing nearby, was obviously looking very down. Arisa put her hand on the other's arm and squeezed in an attempt to comfort her. The purple-haired girl managed a bit of a smile.

"So he played us," Teana spelled it out. "He must have personally placed all the extras and was careful enough to not record any trace of them."

"One more thing," Shari said. "Your devices run by drawing a little magic power off you, but they do have an internal battery, and most of you have cartridges which will work still. However, once that's gone, there won't be anymore unless we go to another planet which still has magic. Your devices should have gone into power conservation mode once they couldn't draw magic for power, so use them sparingly when you have to activate them."

"I have word that ships will be here in a little over an hour for relief efforts," Hayate informed them. "But there is still some rioting out there; many people are afraid and angry. And I don't blame them; the TSAB failed to protect them."

"We all failed," Signum stated solemnly. "We didn't anticipate just how far the doctor would go."

"He is really dead, right?" Subaru asked.

Shamal nodded. "I double-checked the morgue myself. Jail and Uno are still there, and they aren't clones or anything."

"We found the holographic projectors and computer devices," Hayate added. "It looked like they were set to automatically go off under certain conditions. It was literally Jail's last resort."

"What about Nanoha and Vivio?" Yuuno asked, still looking through the window. Why did she keep ending up in a hospital bed? [It's not right!]

"That's what I wanted to talk to her about right before this all hit," Shamal explained, reaching up to activate a floating screen... except it didn't appear and she sighed in frustration. With magic gone, power was being reserved for critical functions only.

"I ran some scans on Nanoha the night Vivio showed up in her room," the doctor continued. "She was completely healed, and I couldn't figure out why. Nanoha's linker core in particular was back at full strength, but there were some strange readings. Earlier today, I finally narrowed it down: Both Nanoha and Vivio have the signatures of a relic inside their linker cores."

Yuuno turned. "A relic!? How?"

Shamal shook her head. "I don't know. But I know she didn't have one when I examined her after Nanoha rescued her from the Cradle."

Shari bit her lip. "Suzuka and I should be going back to my lab. We have more calculations to run. I managed to get a bit of power allocated for my terminal, to hopefully figure something else. And I need to check something."

"I"ll go, too," Arisa said, heading out with her friend.

"In any event, Nanoha and Vivio should be okay," Shamal told them. "Because they had a relic in their cores, I'm guessing they experienced sympathetic vibrations from the relic bomb wave. It would be as if I reached into your chest and grabbed your heart, then shook it fairly fast. Painful, but both should recover fully."

"Hayate, when those ships get here, can I arrange to have Caro transferred to another planet that still has magic?" Fate asked. "Fried isn't feeling very well."

"Neither are Rein and Agito," Hayate replied, remembering the two still passed out in their bags. "I'll try to see if I can arrange that. Zafira is also stuck in human form."

The male Guardian Beast sighed as people turned to glance at him. "It is rather... upsetting. But compared to everyone else, it's of small concern."

"Arf, too," Fate replied sympathetically, as a male aide entered the room and handed Hayate a pad. She thanked him and began to read it as he excused himself.

"What is it, Hayate?" Vita inquired.

"Deep space sensors have detected something fairly large on approach towards the planet," Hayate replied, not looking up. "It's on a collision course with Mid-Childa."

"An asteroid?" Teana asked.

The Lt. Col. shook her head. "Doesn't look like it. They are getting strange energy readings. Maybe some kind of ship, and not our own, as they'd be approaching from hyperspace. This thing is moving through space normally."

"How long until it gets here?" Signum questioned.

Hayate lifted her gaze from the pad finally. "Based on the estimates of it's speed, if it remains constant, it'll arrive in orbit in approximately 32 hours."

x~~*~~x

The fleet of six ships exited hyperspace a decent distance from Mid-childa. Almost immediately, Chrono began receiving reports from the surface, notifying him of the object approaching. He sighed at the extra complication.

"Lucino, open up communications to the fleet, as well as TSAB naval headquarters," he commanded.

"Channel open, Admiral," she replied after a moment.

"This is Admiral Chrono Harlaown of the _Claudia_," he stated. "We have arrived some distance from Mid-Childa to avoid entering the magic void zone. Initial plan called for us to land using thrusters, since we'd be unable to teleport to the surface. However, Ground Headquarters us has informed us of an object approaching the planet, estimated to arrive within 30 hours. We are requesting additional backup if it can be spared, in case this object is hostile. I will be sending one ship to investigate, while four others descend. The _Claudia_ will remain stationed here for now to act as communications relay. Admiral Harlaown out."

Lucino signaled that the communique had been sent, but a small window opened up near Chrono's chair.

"Admiral, I trust you're trying to decide which ship to send," Captain Krieg Herald stated. "I'd like to volunteer the _Belial_. The crew is unanimous in this, and our ship is one of the older ones, if something bad happens."

"Captain Herald," Chrono noted. "Protocol requires me to double-check whether you are sure about this. It's a risk."

He nodded. "Understood, and we are sure. We can begin transferring our supplies to the other ships for descent, and take a short hyperspace to the object within the hour."

"Alright, you have my permission to investigate," the admiral replied. "Notify me when you're ready."

"Yes, sir!" the captain answered, saluting, then signed off.

Chrono looked over the initial data again, getting a bad feeling; what in the world could that object be?

x~~*~~x

"Does this mean what I think it means?" Suzuka asked with dread, standing next to Shari in the safe.

The senior tech turned around, revealing the empty case. "I think we just figured out where the relic came from." Tears appeared in her eyes. "Not only did I screw up and not secure this properly, but now it's in Nanoha or Vivio!"

Suzuka put her hands on her friend and teacher's shoulders. "It's not your fault. We did what we could, locking it up in here. No one else should have known it was here."

"Then how did Vivio find it?" Shari nearly wailed.

"Was Vivio the one?" Arisa asked, thinking, hand on he chin. "Or did someone else take it and put it one of them? If they both have relic signatures in their linker cores, does that mean there were two relics involved?"

"We only had the one," Suzuka informed her, turning to look at her friend. "I guess we'll have to wait for Vivio to wake up to get more answers."

"Either way, I'm partially at fault," Shari said, drying her eyes, her determination returning. "I have to figure out someway to remove it without magic."

"Shari, that may not be possible right now," Suzuka cautioned, turning back.

"Not here, but if we can get her to a planet with magic, it should be possible," Shari explained. "Nanoha removed it once before, and while I'm not sure of the specifics, I have a few theories."

Suzuka internally remarked that Shari's eyes looked unusually fierce. "I failed to protect Vivio for Nanoha once; I'm not going to fail again."

x~~*~~x

An hour later, the _Belial_ signaled it's readiness and made the jump. Captain Herald kept the communication line open to the _Claudia_, which was also transmitted down to the surface in real time for the provisional council and division generals.

"Approaching target," the Captain narrated. "As you can see through the images we are sending, it looks like a city in a transparent bubble. It's huge, approximately 15 kilometers in length, and roughly oval shaped. I think we're being scanned in return, hold on." He paused. "Confirmed that we were scanned, so it knows we're here. Going to attempt to communicate.

He nodded to his communications officer, then resumed speaking. "This is Captain Krieg Herald of the Time-Space Administration Ship _Belial_. If you can hear and understand me, we request that you state the nature of your business in this system, as it is under our jurisdiction. Please respond."

Tense moments passed without a reply, then an alarmed cry came from a crewman. "Captain, I'm detecting an energy surge. I think it's firing!"

Out in space, a beam of brilliant crimson light lanced out from the edge of the city, striking the ship's shields. Inside the _Belial_, the red alert was sounded, as the captain attempted to rally his crew.

"All hands, prepare for battle!" Krieg commanded. "Reverse engines and bring us about!"

"Captain, get your ship out of there!" Chrono called.

"Trying, Admiral!" Krieg replied, his image shaking. "Shields are failing; whatever hit us was powerful. Return fire seems to be having no effect. We can't charge up the Arc-en-ciel in time." He paused as the ship took another hit. "Shields down; we took a direct hit on the lower decks! Engines are down. Object is definitely hostile! All hands, abandon ship! Abandon-"

The communication channel cut out, and Chrono's sensors detected an explosion farther out in the system. His bad feelings suddenly became clear.

Things had just gotten worse.

x~~*~~x

The patient eased out of the bed, testing her feet.

"How are you feeling?" Shamal asked.

Nanoha smiled slightly. "Better. The pain has mostly disappeared, so I think I'll be fine." Her expression shifted as she turned her gaze to her daughter. "How about Vivio?"

"Being younger and having a larger-than-normal linker core, the effect had a greater shock to her system," Shamal answered softly. "But she should recover as well. I'm hopeful she'll awaken later today or tonight." A hint of a smile appeared on her face. "But if you keep this up, we're going to have to stitch your name on this bed permanently."

Nanoha looked suitably embarrassed, then turned to walk over to the bed holding the small form, brushing her hand against the girl's cheek. "Can I ask that you look after her for awhile longer? I want to be here, but I get the feeling there's more going on than the loss of magic. There has to be something I can do."

Shamal reached out to rest a hand on Nanoha's shoulder, smiling. "Of course you can. I'll take care of her. You have my word she'll be just fine." She indicated the door. "Hayate is waiting for you out there."

Nanoha nodded, slipping out of her hospital gown and getting back into her uniform that Fate had brought from home. As she stepped outside, Hayate was waiting for her, along with Fate and Yuuno. In moments, they brought her up to speed.

"So, this could be it?" Nanoha said at long last.

"It's very likely," Yuuno replied, pounding the railing in frustration. "If only I could get back to the library to run some more searches."

"Alhazard," Fate whispered, head lowering a bit. "Could that really be my mother up there in control of it?"

"We don't know for sure," Hayate told her. "It might not be, or there may be someone else in control of it. Maybe it's even automated."

Fate's head came back up. "Thanks, Hayate."

She nodded, then turned back to Yuuno. "The four ships landed just outside Clanagan. They are offloading magic batteries and other relief supplies now. We've arranged to evacuate some people, mostly the injured and those most seriously affected by this disaster. I might be able to arrange a slot for you, to get back to Naval headquarters and the Library."

"I don't want to take a spot from a patient," Yuuno told her. "And to be honest, I'm not sure there's much more I could find that would help in this situation. I did most of my research on Alhazard years ago; what little information I could find, that is."

"So how do we fight this?" Nanoha asked. "It seems hostile and it's coming."

"Chrono already requested more ships, which should be here within three hours," Hayate replied. "This is judged to be a more serious threat than the cradle itself. I think he's managed to get almost half of the entire fleet, which is quite an achievement. If that much firepower can't take care of it, I don't know what will."

All four of them looked out the window, glancing toward the sky, each feeling powerless, and not just because of the loss of magic.

x~~*~~x

There had been no response to the warning. The city-in-a-bubble maintained its course for Mid-Childa, and Chrono couldn't wait any longer. He ordered the twenty ships to jump. The fleet emerged from Hyperspace, weapons hot and shields deployed. Almost immediately, all ships fired their main Arc-en-Ciel Mark II cannons which had been charged previously.

White fire lit up the blackness of space, impacting the bubble shield around the city. Chrono had to shield his eyes along with the rest of the crew at the brilliance of the attack and the followup secondary explosions.

"Report!" he shouted as the lights began to dim.

"Working, but there's still too much interference," Lucino replied, tapping away furiously at her computer.

"Nevermind, I don't think I need you to tell me," Chrono stated as the brilliance died, revealing the city still in one piece, transparent bubble still intact.

"No way...." Lucino gasped. "I only registered a minor drop in shield output!"

"What kind of power is behind that!?" Chrono's first officer, Griffith, wondered aloud in astonishment.

"Tell all ships to charge for another round, while firing all secondary batteries," the admiral ordered, then realized they may as well use the technically-banned objects they got out of storage, too. "Permission is given for the use of missiles as well."

"It's firing!" Lucino called in warning.

Beams of crimson energy leapt out once more, tagging several ships, but that was followed up by secondary fire, yellow orbs that fired at a near machine-gun pace. Point defense batteries couldn't intercept them all, and one ship exploded in the initial barrage.

Dozens of magic-powered missiles lifted from their firing tubes, arcing towards the city. The yellow orbs fire changed course, seeking to shoot them down, managing to take out about half before impact. Multiple explosions blossomed over the bubble shield, as the ships' secondary magical guns continued to fire.

"Detecting an explosion inside the city!" Lucino announced, to cheers. "I think we got through!"

The city's return fire increased as it fired it's own missiles and main energy beams. The _Claudia_ shuddered as it's shields strained against the barrage. Another two ships exploded.

"Arc-en-Ciel full charged!" Griffith announced. "But shields are failing! The _Mizetto_, _Ralgo_, and _Leone_ are reporting that they are abandoning ship."

"All remaining ships fire main guns at will!" Chrono ordered, inserting his key and turning it. [We have to get through somehow! We got through once!]

Another round of intense white energy exploded towards the city, but in a staggered release as each ship showed differences in charging speeds. The magical weapons fire temporarily overwhelmed the red beams and yellow orbs being tossed at them, lighting up space brilliantly once more.

"Negative on penetration!" Lucino called, as the ship shuddered and red lights flashed.

Chrono pounded his fist on the armrest of his chair. "Dammit, what is that thing made out of? Why can't we penetrate it again? Order all ships to retreat immediately!"

"Admiral, our engines were hit in that last wave," Lucino informed them. "We can't maneuver."

"Start the charging process for the Arc-en-Ciel again," he ordered. "Then all hands abandon ship. I'll stay to fire off one more shot if I can, to help cover the escape!" Griffith and Lucino stared at him. "That's an order!"

He closed his eyes in finality, as he thought of his family. [I'm sorry, Amy. I'm sorry that you'll have to raise our two children alone.]

Lucino reluctantly got up from her chair along with the rest of the bridge personnel as the _Claudia_ took another hit. Screens around the room began to show red, reporting of damage to various decks as the shields in those sections failed completely.

Griffith saluted. "It's been an honor serving with you, Admiral."

"Likewise, commander," Chrono answered, returning the salute, then turned back to the screen. He felt a tap on his shoulder. "What is it, Grif-?"

Chrono felt the fist slam into his jaw and his world went black.

x~~*~~x

Lucino stared, then sighed, understanding.

"Can't let the captain, or admiral in this case, go down with the ship," Griffith told her. "His wife would never forgive me. Help me get him to the teleporter."

"I should have figured you'd do something like that," She said, bemused as they hurried off the bridge and down the hall, the unconscious Chrono between them. "He should have seen it coming, too."

The ship shook again, violently, tossing the trio against a wall.

"We'll never make it to the teleportation room," Griffith told her as they got up. "And there might not be enough power left for it, anyway." He pulled a switch on the wall, a small door opening. "Get him in; you, too."

Lucino pushed Chrono into the seat of the small escape pod. "There's not enough room in there for all three of us!"

"I'll stay, you go," Griffith ordered, holding up the Arc-en-Ciel firing key. "I'll try to cover for your escape. I'm your superior, and you won't be able to knock me out with a punch."

She wanted to argue, but realized it was pointless, so instead offered her gloved right hand. "It's been an honor serving with you, Commander Griffith Lowran."

"You, too, Lt. Lucino Lil-urk!" he started to say, then spasmed as he took her hand, collapsing to the floor when she released him.

"You're right, I can't punch you," Lucino told him, taking off the small stun device she had hidden in her palm. She kissed him, and then pushed him into the pod. "But I can't let you die here, either." She grabbed the key and tossed him a small round disc. "Goodbye, Griffith."

Commander Griffith Lowran couldn't move, but he could watch as she shut the door and launched the pod, tears in her eyes.

x~~*~~x

As the pod shot away from the ship, Griffith slowly regained some use of his limbs, although they were still a bit numb and the pod was cramped with two people. Watching the rear view, there was only wreckage of those destroyed as far as the eye could see. Several other escape pods could be seen firing thrusters as well.

The city itself had stopped firing for the moment. Then the heavily _Claudia_ reoriented itself on the city and fired it's Arc-en-Ciel. Griffith was amazed it was still capable of that, his thoughts drifting to Lucino. He wanted to shout "WHY!?" but he already knew; the same reason he had been willing to stay behind.

He managed to touch his lips, never imagining that she had feelings for him. Or did she? He'd never know now.

He watched in horror as the city fired again, and the _Claudia_ exploded.

x~~*~~x

Another hologram appeared above the city of Clanagan, but it wasn't the doctor this time. Fate gripped the railing in shock from where she watched in the Long Arch command center in the section six building, the voice echoing from all speakers.

"People of Mid-Childa," Precia Testerossa intoned, spreading her arms wide, her staff in her right hand. "You sent your fleet against me and they failed. I am, however, willing to show some leniency. I will leave the ones in the escape pods alone, so that you may pick them up later. They will bear witness to the truth of my power. Many years ago, I was a simple researcher. But the Time-Space Administration Bureau called my research and experiments illegal and wrong. They said my ideas were crazy and insane. They tried to shut me down and arrest me, forcing me into exile.

She grinned evilly. "But as you can see, my theories weren't so crazy after all, were they? The ancient city of Alhazard, fountain of advanced technology from a long dead civilization, is now under my control. I've come to exact my revenge on those that stood against me, and preventing me from re-uniting with my beloved daughter. I give you 8 hours to reflect upon your misfortunes. I will enjoy watching you squirm!"

"Detecting multiple signals from the hostile," of the male officers announced. "Confirmed. Appears to be several waves of missiles on approach."

"Time and number?" Hayate demanded to know.

"Confirmed: 50 missiles inbound," he responded. "They will arrive well ahead of the city, approximately 8 hours from now."

"How many of the fleet ships survived?" Hayate asked.

"I'm not detecting any ships," a female officers replied. "If they jumped, they didn't end up around the planet."

Hayate fell back in her chair, sighing in frustration. But Fate barely noticed this.

"Chrono..." she breathed, clenching her fists and teeth. "Mother...."

"Fate-chan..." Nanoha whispered, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure he's alright, and is in one of those escape pods."

Fate nodded. "I want to believe that. But mother... this goes so far past what she has done before. Why? She found her city apparently. Why does she feel the need to do this!?"

"Hayate!" Shari called, her face appearing on one of the forward monitors. Suzuka could be seen in the background with an equally worried face.

"What is it?" Hayate inquired.

"We detected the missile launches here, since my terminal is tied in with the Long Arch systems still," she replied. "We ran a preliminary analysis on them, and Suzuka detected something about them." She stepped aside and motioned for the other girl to step up.

"I only recognized the readings right away because of my education on Earth," Suzuka explained. "Some of those missiles are giving off radioactive signatures!"

Hayate's eyes widened, along with Nanoha's, but Fate was a bit confused and asked, "What does that mean?"

"Nuclear missiles," Hayate whispered, her eyes drawn to the multitude of blips on the radar screen, and the red countdown timer in the corner.

The missiles would reach the planet in 7 hours, 51 minutes, and 38 seconds.

x~~*~~x

Author's notes:

For those who don't recognize her, Lucino Lillie was in StrikerS, so she isn't a character I made up. She was a Long Arch "bridge bunny" but you can see her in the ending of ep26, when they mention what each character goes on to.

And for those of you who are tired of seeing the torment our heroes are going through, fear not; things will start turning around next chapter, entitled "Rain of Fire." There are more surprises in store, and plans will be made. There is hope!

While mass weapons are technically prohibited, you can assume that no large organization completely disarms themselves of a potential weapon. Still, there weren't many of them, and were all used up in that one mass volley. As for the Arc-en-Ciel itself, it may have been a special weapon for dealing with lost logia requiring a ship to spend weeks in dry dock getting retro-fitted, way back in A's. But I've always found it a bit... unwise to have this big weapon, and yet hold it under such constraints. If something happens, it's bad to be unable to use one of your strongest weapons. So you can consider that, in the 10 years since A's, it's become almost standard equipment on the new ships.


	19. Rain of Fire

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 19: Rain of Fire**

Xx~~*~~xX

Nanoha glanced nervously at the timer as she stood atop the military building, wind rustling her hair: 1 hour 38 minutes and 22 seconds remained before the missiles struck. According to Shari, the impact points would be all over the globe, and they were now going to rely solely on her to save the entire planet.

"No pressure!" Hayate had said.

She sighed as she looked around at the various techs and workers getting things ready, then down at the small red orb in her hand. [It always comes down to you and me, doesn't it, Raging Heart?] She clenched the orb in her hand; the AI currently dormant. She wouldn't wake it up until they were ready, to save as much magical power as possible. [We have to do it; Vivio and everyone else are counting on us.]

Her thoughts drifted back to her daughter, currently being taken to a shelter. She had confessed awhile ago, to stealing the relic and splitting it up, putting part of it in Nanoha. In tears, she had admitted that she had just wanted to help her mama like her mama helped her.

Nanoha sighed. There had been many throughout her life who, like Vivio, had done things to help her. And she had done the same for them as well. It was time to do that again.

"You look like a woman who is about to save the world," came a familiar voice.

Nanoha's head came up. "Arisa-chan! Sorry, I'm just thinking."

"About how you're going to pull this off?" the other girl inquired, grinning. "Don't worry; if you mess up, that's what I'm here for!"

"You and Otto," Nanoha corrected.

Her thoughts drifted back to the briefing, nearly 6 hours ago....

x~~*~~x

"And that's where we stand," Hayate was saying to the assembled group. "We have a little over 7 hours to come up with a plan and implement it or we're toast. The other TSAB ships are either on patrol in the far sectors of the galaxy, or being repaired at Naval headquarters. They don't know when they can get a ship here, so we assume we're on our own."

"Without magic?" Caro questioned, stealing a glance at Erio. "How do we do that?"

"Doesn't the city itself have any sort of missiles?" Subaru asked.

"Yes, but not very many, and they are short-range," Hayate explained. "They are still technically banned. We could intercept some of the missiles as they enter the atmosphere, but the nuclear fallout would still be bad. And we couldn't stop them all."

"No ships that can reach orbit?" Teana inquired.

"A few civilian transportation shuttles, but they lack weapons, and weren't designed to carry any," Hayate replied. "We have some people looking into the possibility, but it's iffy at this time."

Arisa stood up. "Terra has a full charge on her magical battery. Launch me into space on a shuttle, and I'll shoot them all down."

"I told you that was a bad idea!" Suzuka told her. "We can't fit Terra on a shuttle. And before you say it, slapping you onto a booster rocket is a bad idea, too. You wouldn't be able to re-enter the atmosphere. It would be suicide!"

"We don't have much a choice!" Arisa shot back. "Everyone here has risked their lives, for us and a lot of other people. I bet they'd be just as willing to risk their lives on such a mission."

"Yes, but we try to avoid suicide missions if we can," Signum told her.

"We'll keep it in mind for the moment," Hayate told her, which mollified the girl as she sat down.

"The missiles are also on a wide approach vector," Suzuka added. "Between firing and maneuvering, you might not have enough magical energy to finish the job."

Shari began running some calculations on a data pad.

"If we could..." Subaru started to say, not looking too comfortable with it. "If we could fit Otto into the cockpit, her Ray Storm IS could assist in shooting them down." Her head dropped. "But I guess we'd be dooming her to death, too."

"It's only an idea at this stage," Fate soothed. "We'll explore all options first."

"The magical battery idea isn't a bad one, actually," Shari started to say as all eyes turned to her. "Before they left, the relief ships left several industrial strength magical batteries. We also had several in storage in the Bureau. So we do have some magic available; we'd just need a shooter."

Everyone in the room turned toward Hayate and Nanoha.

"I know from personal experience that you can fire from long distances," Vita said, smirking. "But could you actually hit targets that far away?"

"Nanoha would be more suited than I," Hayate stated. "Without Rein, my aiming is bad. I could hookup to computer-assisted aiming, but my Hraesvelgr magic also consumes much more energy than Nanoha's spells. We might not have enough magic in those batteries if I was shooting."

The TSAB Ace of aces closed her eyes, then opened them again and said with all the confidence she could muster, "If you can hook Raging Heart up to the same computer-assisted aiming, I can do it."

"I'll need to run some more calculations as the energy you both use, and what we have," Shari stated. "And it'll take time to get everything set up."

Hayate nodded. "It's worth a shot, if we don't have any other ideas. I'll ask Otto, but she'd have to volunteer. Still, I'm going to put Arisa's plan on backup."

"This means we'll have to let the missiles come as close as possible," Teana stated, quieting the room.

Everyone understood the implications. The closer they were, the easier they'd be to hit. But also the shorter the window to knock them all out.

"And we still have Alhazard itself to worry about," Fate reminded them, thinking of her mother. "She could fire another shot. If we drain the magical batteries now, we won't have them later."

"One problem at a time," Hayate told her. "We deal with the missiles, and we buy ourselves some time. If no one has anything else, we'll begin implementing Shari's plan. But also keep thinking about how to deal with the city itself."

"Magic battery..." Yuuno wondered aloud, then stood up. "I might have something else, but I have to confirm it. I'll check back later." He left the room.

"Well, if we're talking about long-distance shooting," Subaru said, "Dieci might be able to help. She doesn't have her cannon anymore, but you can build her one and tie her into the space targeting system...."

Shari stood up. "We don't have the specs for it, so there's no guarantee we could build one in time, but we'll give a try. Tell her to meet me in my lab, along with anyone else she thinks might be able to help with it."

Subaru nodded, and when no one else had anything to add, Hayate adjourned the meeting.

x~~*~~x

"When I got involved in magic, I was quite fine risking my life to help others," Nanoha said, her thoughts coming back to the present. "I never imagined putting you in... this kind of situation."

Arisa put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You've done a lot for Suzuka and I, even before we knew what you were up to. It's about time I repaid that." She grinned. "Besides, if you shoot them all down, then you get to save my life!"

Nanoha smiled. "I'll make sure to do that, then."

She almost regretted for a moment that Hayate wasn't the one doing this, as it she could feel the pressure of the entire planet on her. But according to Shari, the missiles were spread fairly wide and thus the explosion effect of Hraesvelgr wouldn't hit many at a time. Also, there wasn't enough magic in the batteries to accommodate enough firings of that spell, since it did use a lot of magic. They were going to have to have to rely on pinpoint accuracy over an area-effect explosion.

[No pressure,] she told herself.

"Also," Arisa said, turning to look across the way. "Suzuka seems hell bent on making this work."

Both girls listened in as the purple-haired technician in the distance ordered engineers around: "Careful with that regulator! If it's not hooked up right, or it gets damaged, we won't be able to control the flow of magic from all the batteries very well! HEY! You're hooking that cable up wrong! You want to blow us all up!?"

The two girls giggled, unused to seeing the usually timid Suzuka take charge so bluntly.

"Well, I have to head back and start pre-flight checks," Arisa said at last, offering her hand. "Good luck, Nanoha-chan; I know you can do it."

The pony-tailed girl took the hand. "Good luck to you, too. I promise you won't need to launch."

Arisa smiled, then walked away, and Nanoha hoped she could live up to that promise. Yes, she was doing this for the entire planet. But all she could think about was doing this for her friend, her daughter, and all the people that meant so much to her.

"Nanoha-chan?" Suzuka said, approaching. "We'll be ready to hook up and run tests in 15 minutes. If all goes well, we'll be fully prepared long before the 50 minute mark. You'll have 20 minutes to knock them all down before the fail-safe point."

Fail-safe. That was the polite way of saying the point at which Arisa and Otto would have to launch, in order to make orbit with enough time to take down any leftover missiles before they entered the atmosphere.

Knowing all this, Nanoha glanced at the 1:25:33 clock and simply replied, "Understood."

They both turned as a large holographic Hayate appeared over the city. They knew this was coming, as she was borrowing Jail's hologram setup the same way Precia did.

"People of Clanagan, and Mid-Childa," she began. "I am Lt. Col. Hayate Yagami of the Time-Space Administration Bureau. By now, most of you probably know what's going on. Magic is gone, and there is a large city on approach, which may or may not be Alhazard. It is, however, hostile. You've also probably heard about dangerous missiles on the way. It may seem hopeless, but I want you to know now that it's not. We are going to survive.

Across the planet, in almost every city, shelter, and home, Hayate's message reached. "Even without magic, we are going to fight. And we are going to win. We are finishing preparations now to shoot down all the missiles before they even enter the atmosphere. After that, we will deal with the flying city. We, of the TSAB, are going to stay right here along side all of you, and fight to the best of our ability. This is the pledge we have all made, to protect everyone and everything that is dear to us.

She spread her arms about before her, hands open, palms up. "And so I ask for your help. Please stay calm, no matter what happens. Cooperate with authorities. Do no give in to fear. There is a saying from a work of literature on my home planet: 'These are the times that try men's souls.' We are being tested now, and we will rise above it. We will survive, no matter what happens. Thank you, and good luck to us all."

x~~*~~x

Arisa ran through her pre-flight checkup, and tried not to think about the giant explosive she was sitting on. The rocket was virtually safe, she was assured, and Terra's inertia dampeners wouldn't subject her to horrifying G-forces like normal astronauts. But it was still something she wasn't entirely comfortable with.

Although she found it strange she should think about that, considering the mission would end in her death regardless. There had been one last ditch effort to see about using a shuttle to retrieve the pilots, by having them eject from Terra. But the cockpit would be scrunched with two people as it were; there wasn't room for spacesuits, which would also hamper operation of the golem. Without her own magic, control would be much clunkier and harder.

She felt Otto climb into the cockpit, and was at least grateful the cyborg was slightly smaller than Suzuka. "I didn't think you'd come."

"Why wouldn't I?" Otto replied. "My sisters and I are as much a part of your society as the rest of you are. I have no wish for any of them to die if I can help stop it." She closed the hatch, and then stuck her arms in the specially built side tubes, testing the connection. They would allow her to project her IS power outside the golem.

"I suppose that's true," Arisa noted. "I didn't think there was anyone else crazy enough to volunteer for a suicide mission." She looked back and gave the cyborg a grin.

"I suppose I am crazy, too," Otto replied with a smile.

x~~*~~x

"Ready to fire!" Nanoha announced, Raging Heart in Excelion mode.

A cable was hooked up the back end of her staff which would supply the magic power, and a scope was attached to the top of her spear end to assist in aiming. Also, considering the power that was going to be used, a couple other cables were attached to Raging Heart's venting system, to help remove the waste heat buildup. Her Divine Buster was incredibly efficient on a magic power-to-heat ratio already, but she'd really be pushing the limits here.

Still, part of her despaired since it appeared that Dieci hadn't been able to construct her highly technologically-advanced cannon in time. It was all up to her.

"Remember, since you can't draw magic normally, and due to the extreme range and power requirements, you'll have about two minutes between shots," Suzuka reminded her. "Your cartridges can speed this up, but you only have so many of them."

Nanoha nodded and glanced at the timer: 00:51:58. "Ready to begin charging for first shot!"

Suzuka returned to the monitoring and switching station as power began to flow.

Time passed as Nanoha lined up, and the scope activated a floating window above her staff, with targeting crosshairs. The blips appeared on her screen and she lined up. "Ready, Raging Heart?"

"Divine Buster, Extension!" her device chirped as its way of answering, then added: "Mark Two!"

This version sacrificed about half her normal power for increased control and range. The technicians told her that the missiles would actually be somewhat fragile, and thus wouldn't require much force to knock them out. She'd also be applying mental power to control the beam, similar to her Divine and Axel shooter attacks.

Nanoha lined up, steadied her nerves and fired. The floating heads-up display tracked her beam in space as she drew power from Raging Heart, exerting her mental control to curve the beam in flight, jumping from one missile to the next. Each hit robbed power from the attack, until the beam was spent on the last hit.

Raging Heart vented steam, as magic power began to fill up for the next attack.

x~~*~~x

"Nanoha's first shot is away!" Lt. Alex Willheim announced. "Tracking... 5 missiles down!"

Hayate sighed in partial relief. [But she'll need to do better than that, if she wants to save Arisa and Otto. She has to knock out all 50 in 20 minutes.]

Another 1 minute and 30 seconds passed, and then, "Second shot.... 7 missiles this time!"

[She's using cartridges to speed up the time,] Hayate noted. [Please let this work!]

x~~*~~x

It was after the fifth shot that disaster struck. The regulator seemed to overheat and blow, cutting off the supply of magic power. Suzuka barked orders to get the secondary one hooked up, but precious time would be lost. And there were still 22 missiles left.

"Nanoha!" Yuuno called, running up to her. Apparently, he had arrived while she was firing and was standing by.

She turned as he tossed something her way. She caught it, realized what it was, and looked up at him in surprise.

"I've been keeping track of them, and this one was in display at a museum," he told her. " I don't know how much magic is has, just use it!"

Nanoha turned back, focusing on the Jewel Seed, letting it float up in front of her, pulling magic from it. As opposed to the ones she captured long ago, this one had been properly sealed and adjusted so it wouldn't go wild.

Nanoha resumed firing, using more cartridges to make up for lost time. But she was running out of those as well.

"Sixth shot... 7 more missiles down," came the steady count. "15 targets remaining."

Hayate glanced at the timer: 00:33:12. [Come on, Nanoha....]

"Seventh shot... 6 more down," Alex announced. "Wait, report from the firing station.... The jewel seed replacement is dead. They are still having trouble with the backup regulator. They won't make it before the Fail Safe point."

Hayate watched the counter hit 00:31:05. "We don't have a choice now. Launch the golem." [And may Nanoha and the rest forgive me,] she added to herself.

x~~*~~x

Arisa and Otto heard the command over the communicator, as the countdown started and the rocket roared to life. They spared a knowing look at each other, then focused on the task at hand.

There were nine missiles left.

x~~*~~x

Nanoha dropped to her knees, tears appearing in her eyes as she watched the rocket lift into the sky. Yuuno knelt down beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Arisa, I'm so sorry...."

x~~*~~x

The ride wasn't as bad she expected it to be, Arisa thought, as the rocket detached. And the view wasn't bad, but she didn't have time to admire the beauty of space.

"Tracking remaining missiles and engaging boosters," she replied, moving away from the planet.

A small periscope descended and Otto put her eyes to it. "Receiving targeting data. Even though my effective range is enhanced to over 3 kilometers with the targeting computer and without atmospheric interference, getting closer will enhance my chances to hit."

"Terra's weapon systems aren't much longer than that as well for the same reasons," Arisa answered as the golem moved farther out into space. "Luckily the missiles are coming in a staggered pattern. First missile coming into range. Calculating targeting lock...."

The artillery boxes snapped into place, on top of Terra's shoulders and on the outer parts of the legs. Almost immediately, they began to fire; Otto supplementing that with Ray Storm blasts. After several near misses, the target exploded.

She was grateful the techs down below were right; even though these missiles were technically traveling a decent clip, they were also moving in essentially a straight line. Terra's calculations allowed them to essentially place a wall of fire in their path, to which the missile ran into.

"1 down!" Arisa cheered. "Moving on to the next...."

x~~*~~x

"5th missile down, 4 to go!" came Alex's announcement.

Hayate glanced at the timer, where 15 minutes and 53 seconds remained. "Arisa, you have about 12 minutes to get the last 4. After that, they begin atmospheric entry and it becomes much harder."

"Understood," Arisa responded. "But these remaining ones are spread out fairly far, and we're trying to balance remaining battery power with heading changes. We don't want to run out of power until we get the last one."

"What's the status on the regulator?" Hayate inquired.

"Hayate, this is Suzuka," came the reply. "Shari is working on the backup, but I don't think we'll get it up in time. They have been in storage a long time, and weren't meant to be used in the way we're using them. We barely had time to get the primary ready. It's my fault for not getting a proper full checkup on the secondary."

"Don't blame yourself, Suzuka," Hayate told her. "You, and everyone else did the best they could. We just have to hope Arisa and Otto can get the rest."

"6th down, 3 to go...."

x~~*~~x

Arisa glanced at the amount of magic power remaining and winced. "Otto, these maneuvers are taking too much energy. I'm going to have to rely on you for shooting. If I do that, I can put more power into movement so we can get these last missiles before they hit the atmosphere."

"Understood," Otto replied. "I'm getting the hang of this, so I should be able to take out the next ones quickly once we get into range. I think I can increase my effective range a bit for the same reason."

The golem pilot poured more power into the boosters. "Coming up on #7."

The cyborg focused. "I see it.... IS: Ray Storm activate!"

Several green shots fired from the glowing orbs on either side of the golem's head, striking the head of the missile as it flew into the green rain, and blowing it up.

Arisa set a course for the next one, but noticed something. "We have a problem. We can get #8, but I don't think we'll get #9 before it enters the atmosphere."

"Can't you increase speed?" Otto asked.

"Possible, but we wouldn't be able to decelerate too much at the end," Arisa replied. "We'd swing by pretty fast, and you'd only have a second or two to shoot a rapidly moving target, due to differences in heading and velocity."

"There is an available method," Terra intoned, putting up information. "Due to lack of atmospheric interference, if all remaining power is used, the range of main gun is increased by several magnitudes. Success probability is 78%."

"I'll take those odds," Arisa replied. "Coming up on #8. Terra, prepare to target and dump power into the gun as soon as Otto destroys this one."

"Acknowledged," Terra responded.

"Firing!" the cyborg responded. "Destroyed."

"Channeling energy!" Terra intoned.

Arisa prayed as she targeted. "Firing!"

A beam of multi-colored light erupted from the barrel of the gun in the golem's right hand.

x~~*~~x

There was intense silence in the Long Arch control room after the second missile was destroyed. Hayate kept her eyes on the timer as it ticked down to the 3 minute mark.

"Reports coming in from outside; a bright flash in the sky!" Alex nearly shouted. "That was the last missile! They did it!"

Cheers erupted in the room, while Hayate sighed and closed her eyes.

x~~*~~x

Arisa glanced at the power indicator. "2%. That wasn't all your power, Terra."

"Apologies, but calculations indicated not all power was required," Terra replied, shutting down various systems to preserve life support for as long as possible. "I regret that I am not capable of atmospheric entry."

The golem pilot smirked. "I'll ask them to add that to your capabilities next time."

There was a pause, then the AI voice seemed to reply more softly. "Understood. Beginning final shutdown. It was a pleasure, Arisa Bannings." Terra signed off.

"So, what happens now?" Otto asked quietly as the cockpit went dark.

"Life support will run for awhile with minimal power use, if everything else is shut down," Arisa replied. "And based on my last readings, we're in a fairly large orbit, so I don't think there's any real danger of it decaying anytime soon. So we have enough to reflect on things until power runs out." She paused, then looked back at the other girl, smiling. "I didn't get to know you very well, but I'm glad you helped me with this. I think we made a good team."

Otto smiled in return. "I am glad as well, Arisa Bannings."

"Just call me Arisa, since we're friends now," the golem pilot told her.

Otto nodded. "Okay, Arisa."

Both girls' expressions changed as they felt something. "Wha-?"

x~~*~~x

"Lt. Col. Yagami, new contact has appeared," Lt. Randy Tessen announced.

Hayate's head came up. "What is it?"

One of the screens activated. "Sorry we're late, Hayate. This ship was badly damaged and needed repairs."

Fate's eyes widened. "Chrono!"

"The _Ventek_ was able to jump out of the fight, but needed to repair it's engines," he explained. "Then it jumped back to save survivors in escape pods, including me."

Hayate stood up. "Chrono! Arisa and Otto are in a golem somewhere in orbit. Can you lock onto them and teleport them aboard?"

"Already done," he replied, nodding. "Got them and the golem. We began monitoring what was going on once we started rescuing survivors. We got here as soon as we could. We'll remain in orbit conducting additional repairs, and to shoot down anymore missiles."

"It's good to have you back, Chrono," Fate told him.

He nodded. "Thank you, but we lost a lot of good people today, including Lucino." He paused, as Hayate and Fate both remembered her. "However, for now, you need to get your staff together. I'm also sending some data you need your people to analyze. We need to make plans."

Hayate nodded as the data stream commenced.

x~~*~~x

An excited Suzuka came over to Yuuno and Nanoha, who were sitting against the wall-like railing of the building. After informing them of Arisa's and Otto's rescue by Chrono, Nanoha jumped to her feet and hugged her happily. She hugged a surprised Yuuno next.

All three knew the city was still coming, and they still had much work to do. But for now, there was hope. Whatever may come, they would deal with it.

x~~*~~x

The city of Alhazard reaches orbit in 16 hours, 37 minutes.

Author's notes:

During my rewrite, I wrote out Gerard, and replaced him with Alex and Randy. Gerard was just a random grunt, but Alex and Randy were part of Lindy's crew in A's. Just seeing how many people I can fit in, even if it's just a single name mention. :P

Be here next time for Chapter 20 "Calm Before the Storm" where plans are made to strike back, and many surprises are revealed.

Science notes(skip if you find such things boring): There has been some debate on the plausibility of the methods being used here. Believe me, as a science nerd who keeps up on the latest physics and developing weapon systems, I can see the concerns. So while it does stretch the bounds a bit, there is sufficient space for magic and the high magical technology of the TSAB to make things possible. Hayate and Nanoha have both used magical-technology to assist them in hitting things they couldn't see. Hayate in ep11 to hit groups of fast flying drones, and Nanoha blasting Quattro through several walls; apparently, Raging Heart's scope was good enough for that, and it's been considerably enhanced here via hookup to targeting computers and space sensors. She had a large screen into space where she could see her beam, and mentally direct it to bounce from target to target (one of her newer spells; she seems to be good at variations).

Also, you can consider that the missiles were actually traveling fairly slow.

As far as Nanoha reaching space with her weapon, it's a fact of physics that the more power you pump into a beam, the farther it can go and the more powerful it becomes. If you really want to think about range issues here, look up at the night sky. Each of those stars you see is hundreds of thousands of light years away, and yet energy is reaching you via a light beam.

Last note: While pure computer targeting would seem to be the best on the surface, there is a reason that humans are still in the loop here. There is very much a mental component when using magic, something that computers can't do. Also, it's kinda boring when it's the computers doing all the work, rather than a human we care about doing the firing. MGLN is all about humans and devices working together to produce extreme magical effects.

If you want debate things with me, feel free. My PMs are always open, and I love a good debate. Or you can direct me to a thread where I would be more than glad to discuss aspects like weapons theory and physics. But also keep in mind, movies, TV shows, and other stories have been bending science for decades in order to embellish things or just to simply entertain. Ultimately, that's the goal of a storyteller. As a science nerd, I could go on about the space battles in Star Wars, the implausibility of lightsabers, or the fact that the movie Peter Parker could not physically be able to shoot his organic web shooters.

But in the end, it doesn't matter, because we just want to tell/hear a good story. =)


	20. Calm Before the Storm

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 20: Calm Before the Storm**

Xx~~*~~xX

Hayate walked down the hall, alone for once, finding it eerily quiet. Most were asleep or resting for the night, trying to catch up on sleep from the day's hectic activities. They had bought themselves a reprieve, so despite the still-looming threat of Alhazard, morale was upbeat.

Although, without Rein, or any of her knights around, Hayate felt strangely lonely. She had become accustomed to their sometimes-overprotective presence.

She realized she should probably get some sleep as well, but command was weighing heavily on her. She had spent many hours over the past few days, analyzing all her decisions, wondering if she made the right calls. This is where she wanted to be, in a leadership position. But she was learning the hard way that not all decisions were easy ones. As she gazed out at the night sky, she wondered if she was cut out for command.

"You're wondering if you're cut out for command," came a young, but familiar voice that startled Hayate with it's accuracy.

"Vita!" she exclaimed, turning and smiling. "You startled me."

The hammer knight shrugged, then leaned on the railing, looking out the window as well. "I may have started out a program of a book, fully loyal and obedient to you. But all of us have changed over the years. I'm more than willing to call you out on something if it warrants."

Hayate gazed back out the window. "I guess you can read me that well by now, huh?"

"I've been watching you the past few days," she replied. "You have been looking stressed and worried, as if you're trying to carry the whole world on your shoulders." She turned to give Hayate a dirty look. "You need to stop that. You're doing fine. If you want to aim for the higher spots, you have to learn to accept that you don't know everything, and that you have friends who can help you carry things."

The other girl smiled wryly. "And you know just what to say."

The hammer knight began to walk away. "That's part of what I do. Good night, Hayate. Get some sleep." She paused, looking over her shoulder threateningly. "And I mean it. We expect you back at the house." She resumed walking, turning a corner.

Hayate laughed, and was about to follow, when another female voice called her name from the shadows.

She turned to see who it was, surprised. "Auris?"

x~~*~~x

Caro watched Erio practice in the yard, jumping and swinging Strada around. The device was technically still off, so it was just a standard spear. Still, he felt he needed to keep in practice. He also wanted to work on some more moves that he had picked up from Fate and Signum, his two primary sparring partners. There were things he still wanted to be able to do, even without magic.

He paused, panting, in the cool night air, only to find a towel held out in front of him. "Oh, thanks."

Caro smiled at him as he dabbed his face. "I'm impressed that you work so hard, even without magic."

"Sorry, Caro," he replied. "It's just that I failed to protect you before. I don't want to make that mistake again." He was surprised when she started giggling. "Caro?"

She wiped her eyes, which had started to leak due to the laughter. "I'm sorry, Erio. But I had been thinking the same thing lately. I was a burden to you, and wanted to get stronger to protect you."

Erio put one hand behind his head, chuckling. "So I guess we both needed to work on getting stronger."

"So we can protect each other?" Caro asked. "And Fate and our friends?"

He nodded, handing the towel back to her. "I just wish we could use magic, as there are more techniques I need to perfect."

Caro looked down, saddened. "Yeah, I can't do much without it, as I'm not a physical fighter like you are. And Fried is tired most of the time, unable to fly."

Erio grew angry, turning to punch the nearby tree. "If only there was something we could do about all this!" He sighed and turned back to Caro, only to see her staring at him wide-eyed. "Caro? What is it?"

"Erio...." she said in astonishment. "The tree...."

He turned to look at the impact in the bark, realized the implications, and ran into the house, Caro following right behind.

x~~*~~x

"Any word on the rest of the fleet?" Fate inquired.

After a good night of rest, the old members of Section Six, plus a few others were all gathered together for a meeting the next day. Chrono had already given his report to the ground TSAB provisional council, and was taking the time to talk to Hayate's group. There had been no more missiles fired, and no more communication from the city. However, Alhazard was still on approach, would would make orbit in 7 hours.

Chrono shook his head from the view screen. "Not much, I'm afraid. The _Claudia_ did detect several jumps before we had to abandon ship, so I'm hoping the rest are conducting repairs, too. The standing orders were to return to Naval headquarters if too badly damaged, otherwise attempt to return for survivors."

"And the TSAB naval station?" Hayate questioned.

"They are hesitant about sending more ships for now," Chrono admitted. "Protection of trading routes is already strained, and they aren't convinced it's worth leaving them vulnerable to pirates if the city can easily stand up to twenty ships. I might be able to swing a couple more of the ones that were already in dry dock, but that would just be for evacuations. After the confrontation debacle, I'll be lucky to keep my command when this is over.

His gaze changed, becoming more serious. "But I'm ordered to withdraw a few hours before the city gets here. At this point, there's little one ship can do without a plan. They don't believe Mid-Childa can be saved."

Hayate sighed while Fate said angrily, "Surely they must know that once Mid-Childa is taken care of, Precia will go for the rest of the TSAB!?"

"They are hoping to buy time," Chrono replied. "And I've been ordered to land soon and pick up the provisional council and some other VIPs."

"Of course, the bigwigs are the first to run!" Subaru complained.

"I can probably take the rest of you, as well," he offered.

Hayate smiled. "No, we're staying right here. We have people to protect."

Chrono chuckled. "I thought you'd say that, which means you have a plan. What is it?"

Shari stood at Hayate's nod towards her. "We went over your data, and we found some interesting things. At one point, you managed to shoot through the shield."

"Yeah, we noticed that, but we aren't sure how that happened," Chrono replied.

"That's because there isn't just one shield," she explained, smiling. "There's two. One seems geared to block magical and thermal energy based attacks, while the second guards against kinetic energy, ie, physical impacts. That's why they are so effective, as each shield specializes in what it does. But that also introduces a weakness, because both shields can't seem to be up at the same time in the exact same spot. A missile struck the shield a split second before an magical energy blast went through the exact same spot."

"That's a hell of a weakness," Teana noted. "Can we use that to destroy it now?"

Shari shook her head sadly. "The timing has to be incredibly precise as the switch from physical to energy shields is incredibly fast, and it's only localized to a small area. The whole shield isn't required to change; it appears very small sections of the bubble can make the switch at will, independent of the rest of the bubble. Also, the city is big. We'd need a lot of ships to do enough damage, and it sounds like we won't get that before the city gets here."

"So we're back at square one," Chrono concluded as Shari sat down.

"Not entirely," Hayate informed him, nodding towards a darkened corner.

"You may not know me, but I'm Auris Gaiz," an older woman informed them, stepping from the shadow. "I used to be an assistant to General Regius." She continued when Chrono nodded his acknowledgment. "I inherited the responsibility of a few projects of his, most notably, the Einherjar project. It was to be a series of ground-based magical cannons designed to intercept orbital craft."

"The cyborgs destroyed those, did they not?" Signum asked.

She nodded. "They destroyed the three we had built, but a fourth had been started. I've been seeing it slowly built in secret over these past few months. When we got word of Alhazard and the missiles coming, I had my engineers double-team it. Sadly, it was still offline when the missiles hit. But we may be able to get it operationally by the time Alhazard gets here."

Vita shook her head. "No good. You'll only get one shot before Precia destroys it."

"Then we have to make that one shot count!" came a new female voice from the doorway.

"Mariel, you made it!" Hayate exclaimed.

"Mariel Atenza, head of the TSAB Engineering Division, at your service," she announced. "I hear you've been taking good care of my things for awhile. I would have spoken up sooner, but military secrecy and all."

At the confused looks, Hayate explained, "Mariel was the head of the team that developed the golem. I've been in secret communication with her for awhile now, feeding her the golem's combat data."

"A member of my team was apparently on Jail's payroll, and arranged to have one of our prototypes stolen," Mariel added. "We caught him, but you recovered it. The higher ups were embarrassed, and I must admit I was, too. So they forbade us from talking about it. But with the situation the way it is, that's been lifted. And I have something for you that might help: a shuttle."

"How is a shuttle supposed to help?" Nanoha asked.

"It's one we've been modifying over the past few months," she explained. "It's equipped with AMF armor, and was designed as a hover transport to rapidly ferry troops and golems around. It's a big improvement over helicopters."

Hayate took over. "Allow me to explain what we've come up with. We are going to load a strike team onto that shuttle. When Alhazard is close enough, we're going to fire the Einherjar cannon at it. The shuttle will ride the beam all the way to the city. Orders will be to seize control of the city if possible, or find a way to destroy it from the inside."

Yuuno began to see it. "With the magical energy beam striking it, the shield will be in energy defense mode. The shuttle can pass right through it! But will the AMF armor hold out while in the midst of the beam?"

Mariel shook her head. "No, it won't last more than 5-6 seconds or so against the kind of energy the cannon will be putting out. We'll need very strong magic barriers protecting the ship through most of it's journey. The barriers will be turned off right before shield impact, so it passes through instead of bouncing off. The AMF Armor will protect the ship until it's inside."

"Wait a minute, magic is gone, so where are you going to get magical barriers?" Subaru wondered aloud.

Hayate smiled. "Erio, if you would. I promised him he could be the one."

As the rest of the group looked on, Erio stood up and moved a bit away from the table, then concentrated hard. His yellow Belkan triangle flared into existence under his feet, and his body began to crackle with visible electric arcs. After a few seconds, he cut it off, panting hard.

"Caro and I... discovered it last night," he explained between breaths.

"Magic is back!?" Teana wondered in astonishment.

"Yes and no," Suzuka answered. "It's coming back, slowly but surely. It turns out my ocean analogy was more apt than I thought. The relic bombs essentially tried to use magic to blow up magic. If you drop a large water bomb into an ocean, it may blow a nice hole. However..."

"The water will eventually flow back!" Arisa finished for her. "So how long until it's back at normal strength?"

"By our rough calculations, it might be 75% back shortly after Alhazard gets here," Shari replied. "But that's only a guess; it's very hard to measure."

"Which leaves us looking for one barrier expert to protect the shuttle on it's flight," Hayate concluded.

Yuuno suddenly noticed all eyes on him. "What are you all... oh, yeah, eheh. Well, um, I guess as an archeologist, it _would_ be a dream to see the city...."

"I'm going on that shuttle, too," Nanoha stated, standing.

"As am I," Fate added, also standing.

"If Fate's going, then I am, too!" Arf announced suddenly, stepping forward from behind Fate's chair. One by one, everyone stood and volunteered.

"We'll figure out who is going later," Hayate said, then turned to Chrono. "How is that for a plan?"

The admiral's eyes were wide, but then he shook his head and chuckled. "I should know better than to doubt you. I still have my orders to evacuate the higher-ups, but I'll be betting on you and everyone else to keep Mid-Childa in one piece." He saluted. "Good luck, everyone! You're going to need it."

"Alright, everyone go make any preparations you need to," Hayate told them. "I'll be issuing more specific orders later. And as Chrono said, good luck to us all."

x~~*~~x

"So, you've been taking good care of it, I see," Mariel noted as she examined the golem. "We've been getting good data on its actual performance in combat."

"Arisa has been a good pilot," Shari told her, indicating the girl with the short, blonde hair. "And we were impressed by how well it's designed."

Mariel climbed the gantry, the three other girls following. "Well, I've got a couple of surprises for you, that should help." She slid into the pilot's seat, plugging in a small magic battery. "Terra, code 4-5-Alpha-Tango-9-Charlie. Release Limiter."

"Code acknowledged," Terra replied, coming online. "Welcome Dr. Atenza. Limiter has been released. Accessing new subsystems."

"Limiter?" Suzuka questioned.

"There's a few more bells and whistles we added to this, but hid them in case of theft," the golem creator explained. "Good thing we did, too, considering. We had three layers of security: Normal mode just gives mobility and the main gun at a lesser power level. If Terra determines that there is a proper person for registration, there is level two. That's the full power of the main gun, AMF armor, flight systems, and artillery batteries.

She reached down to adjust a few switches, as new screens popped up. "Level three is the final one, with Limiter released. Stuff like an actual magic barrier, and a couple extra offensive and defensive subsystems. I'll brief you about it later, but first things first. Hand me my case."

"This one that you've been having me carry?" Arisa asked, passing it over.

"You're the pilot, so it's your responsibility!" she said, smiling, and opening the case. "And it's thanks to Shari and Suzuka's research on this, that I'm able to do what I'm about to do."

"A relic!" Shari exclaimed.

Mariel nodded. "Scavenged from one of the relic bombs, actually. Since it functions like an artificial linker core, if I install this in here, you should be able to draw on an almost unlimited source of magic. At least according to our research. However, it won't come in very fast. If you use too much power and drain the battery, you'll have lay low somewhere and wait for it to naturally recharge. At least, if we're right about all this. It could just all flow in really fast and blow up the unit!"

Arisa sweat-dropped. "So I'm a guinea pig."

Suzuka elbowed her. "Well, you were the one who wanted to fly this thing!"

x~~*~~x

"We could be going soon," Fate said, speaking what was on both their minds.

Nanoha hugged the other girl closer as hey gazed out their bedroom window, each having an arm around the other. "I know. And you're going to want to face your mother." She felt Fate tighten.

"Yes," Fate replied softly. "She may have been my mother once, but that was in a different set of memories. I have to stop her now. Perhaps even more so because I am her daughter." She changed the subject. "And you should talk to Yuuno before we go."

The pony-tailed girl sighed. "I'd like to... but I'm not sure if I can. I care about him a lot, and I'm worried he won't accept this. And things have been so busy lately."

"Make time," Fate told her. "And I think you underestimate the strength of his feelings."

Nanoha nodded, turning to meet Fate's lips for a soft kiss. "I will."

"Good," the other girl replied, smiling. "Then we need to finish getting dressed and head out."

x~~*~~x

"We're almost there," Vice called from the front of the helicopter to the group he was ferrying, several hours later. Alto was next to him in the co-pilot's seat. "I'm getting landing clearance now."

Nanoha looked at the team that had been assembled, after Hayate had learned how many the shuttle could hold. Her eyes met Fate's at first, then went to Arf. She had wondered a bit about the inclusion of familiar-turned-guardian-beast. But Hayate had confided in Nanoha that with Fate going up against her mother, she wanted another person who would stick to Fate and help keep her emotions in check. Nanoha knew they'd both have to help in that role.

Teana, Subaru, Erio, and Caro were next; the old Section Six Forwards. Although they seemed to prefer the "Strikers" name for their little group now. Each had grown much since the old days. They were stronger, wiser, and more reliable. She had kept tabs on them in the months since, and re-acquainted herself with their profiles recently. Their progress had been nothing short of amazing.

Finally, she settled on the one she had been avoiding: Yuuno. There was much she wanted to say, and much she was afraid of. She had wanted a chance to talk with him before all this, but there had either been interruptions, or she had lost her nerve. He seemed to sense she was looking at him, and he met her gaze to give her a nervous smile and a thumbs up. She smiled back, then leaned her head back.

Hayate and the Wolkenritter were staying behind this time. The master of the Tome of the Night Sky felt certain that Precia would attack somehow, and she needed every able-bodied mage to defend Clanagan. They all had assumed that was her main target. Arisa and Suzuka were also remaining behind on the ground, to support the troops.

The small strike team would have to be enough.

Mariel was also riding along, as it was her secret research facility they were flying to. Once the helicopter had landed in a mountain range outside Clanagan, they had disembarked and she motioned for all of them to follow her, including the two pilots. A large elevator waited for them, which took them down several levels and opened into a fairly large hanger. A few other golems lined the walls, in various states of construction and makeup, but the main attraction was the ship in the center of the room.

It was over twice the size of the helicopters Vice and Alto flew, and roughly rectangular-shaped. It had a rear hatch similar to the helicopter, which was now open. Downward-sloping "wings" were attached to the top of the craft. Cradled under those, and to either side of the rear hatch, two large circular engines rested. The belly curved upwards to meet the rounded cockpit at the front.

"It's not pretty, but we scientists tend to favor function over form," Mariel told them. "It'll fly."

"So you want us to pilot that?" Alto asked as the group spread out a bit around he hanger.

"Only to the Einherjar cannon," Mariel answered. "While in the beam, you'll be virtually blind, so we'll rely on a pre-programmed flight pattern that will be uploaded shortly before launch."

A long whistle of admiration drew their attention to where Vice was admiring something on the side. "Now that's what I call a rifle."

Mariel smiled, coming up beside him as he admired one of the more complete-looking golems, holding a large rifle gun not unlike his own. "We have been experimenting with different golem types, ever since we began receiving combat data from Hayate. Terra is an all-around model, but this is a long ranged version. It's not complete; we still need to program an AI into it."

Vice turned to her, grinning, holding up a gray card with a green jewel in it. "I have your AI right here. Storm Raider can interface with anything, and I can fly anything."

Mariel seemed to actually consider it. "It's possible, and we do have orders to make every resource available. We'll look into it." She walked away to talk to a pair of engineers about it.

"I'll be leaving the shuttle to you," Vice informed the girl next to him, his gaze not leaving the silvery golem.

"I would have thought you would have wanted to fly the ship," Alto told him. "You seem to want to fly everything these days."

He finally turned to her and grinned. "I want to fly _and_ shoot. And I'll probably get a chance to fly the ship another time." He turned back to the golem, his eyes twinkling. "But this... this is what I dreamed of, ever since I found out about that other girl flying that other tin can around."

Further words were put on hold as the alarm flashed red in the hanger. The cause was soon clear; they were under attack.

x~~*~~x

"We're picking up elevated energy readings from the hostile!" Alex called out. "Confirmed, it's firing!"

Hayate glanced at the timer, reading 3 hours and 15 minutes. "Already? What's the target?" She cursed; it figured Precia would wait until the _Ventek_ was in the process of landing to attack.

"Initial tracking puts it somewhere in Clanagan," came Alex's reply. "Impact in one minute!"

"Status of defensive systems?" Hayate called.

"Report from the engineering team says it's not quite ready yet," Randy informed them. "Magic hasn't fully returned, so there isn't enough power to initialize the system, also."

"If she can fire energy weapons from that range, she can pick us off without having entering orbit!" Hayate said in frustration. "Our plan needs her to come closer. Brace for impact!"

x~~*~~x

The crimson beam cut through the atmosphere, striking the top of the TSAB spire in the center of the city. After traversing down it's length, the beam cut off upon reaching the bottom. For several long minutes, the spire burned.

x~~*~~x

"Oho, did you see that, ladies?" Quattro inquired, watching the reddish-glow on the horizon in the distance. "Our dear TSAB seems to be having something of a problem."

"And that concerns us, why?" Tre asked, laying in the grass and staring at the ceiling. "We're still stuck out here with our IS's locked. Sometimes I curse that damn bastard doctor for creating us."

Quattro turned to look at her two companions. "Just thinking out loud, mainly. It is a bit boring in here. Some... excitement might be nice."

Sette lifted her head. "Such as?"

"I'm not entirely sure," she admitted, putting a finger to her lips. "But I'm sure some opportunity will present itself."

Tre sighed and Quattro smiled.

x~~*~~x

"Any sign of a follow up attack?" Hayate asked, unable to suppress the thoughts that came up at the sight.

"Negative, the hostile is silent and continuing it's approach," Alex confirmed.

The SS rank mage sat back in her seat, thinking. "So, it either needs time to charge such a long-range attack, or she wants to tell us something."

Nanoha appeared on one of the screens. "Hayate-chan, the prophecy...."

"I know," the other girl replied softly, then quoted. "_The dead shall dance and the tower of law in the central lands shall burn to the ground._" They both watched as the inflamed tower began to collapse, and Hayate was glad that people had mostly been evacuated to the shelters. "We all thought Precia was dead, and she's been doing a whole lot of dancing. Now the tower is burning."

Fate appeared next to Nanoha on the screen. "It's also a message. I know my mother, and can guess what she is trying to say. She took out the biggest symbol of the TSAB's presence on Mid-Childa. She wants to cause fear and despair before she arrives."

All three had the same thoughts: The real storm was set to begin, and Precia had just made the first strike.

x~~*~~x

Alhazard will reach orbit in 2 hours and 58 minutes.

x~~*~~x

Author's notes:

Hey, Kaijo just shamelessly ripped off more of Gundam! But hey, why write a Nanoha/Gundam fusion, when mecha can be worked in wonderfully to the regular Nanoha-verse? =)

And as you may suspect, the city arrives next chapter, and the main, and final, confrontation will begin. For those wondering about Precia's actions and motivations, and how they might not make much sense at times... I'll just tell you to keep reading. As a reminder, I like reason behind my antagonists.^^


	21. Assault! The Golden City Beckons

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 21: Assault! The Golden City Beckons**

Xx~~*~~xX

Vivio Takamachi was one of the many citizens of Clanagan to see the spire burn. She had dearly hoped neither one of her mamas were in there, but she hadn't heard from either one of them since Aina had brought here here. And now she found herself cowering in one of the many shelters across the city, awaiting the arrival of the floating city.

"I wanna be Nanoha this time!" came a young female voice waving a doll around, causing the daughter of the named person look up.

"Then I get to be Fate!" another girl announced, showcasing a small doll of Vivio's other mama. "She's stronger!"

"Nuh uh!" a third countered, brandishing another lookalike doll. "Hayate is the strongest! She has a higher mage rank and a higher title!"

Vivio sighed and stood up, crossing the room to where the younger children played. "Actually pure strength doesn't matter if you can't control your magic well. All of them are good in different areas!"

"Yeah, right," the Fate girl said, not believing her. "Like you would know anything!"

"Hey mister, what do you think?" the Nanoha girl asked a man in a faded tan robe with brown eyes, sitting on a nearby bench. She showed him her doll. "Nanoha is the bestest, right?"

He chuckled. "I'd say yes, but then, I'm probably a bit biased since I met her. I actually fought against her, and she beat me." A white-haired woman next to him smiled in amusement.

"Really!?" all three doll girls asked, stars in their eyes. "What was she like!?"

"Dolls are for sissies!" one of a trio of young boys jeered. "Especially those dolls. It's not like they can save us anyway! The spaceships couldn't destroy it and they were waaaay stronger!"

"They will save us!" Vivio shouted. "You'll see!"

The second of the trio of boys walked up and grabbed the Nanoha doll out of the girl's hand, holding it above his head so she couldn't get it back. He then tossed it to the third boy, who started a game of keep away. Vivio grew angry as the girl cried, and marched up to the boys, who laughed at her approach.

Thirty seconds later, all three boys were crying while Vivio dusted off her hands and retrieved the doll, returning it to the crying girl. "Here you go, don't cry. Nanoha is my mama and I know she'll save us."

The girl brightened back up. "Really?"

Vivio nodded, then turned to the man. "Is it true you really fought my mama?"

He looked uncomfortable. "Well, I was a slightly different person then, and it was a... bit of a misunderstanding." He turned the conversation around. "Are you really her daughter?"

She nodded and held out her hand. "I'm Vivio Takamachi!"

He took it, hesitantly. "Kyoya, and this is Miyuki. We're... travelers."

"You have the same names as my aunt and uncle!" she said in awe. "Well, I haven't actually met them yet, but my mama has told me she'll take me to them sometime." She tilted her head. "Say, if you've fought my momma, you must be pretty strong. Why aren't you outside helping?"

Miyuki raised an eyebrow. "Yes, why aren't you outside helping?"

Kyoya shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's not our fight. My only concern is protecting you."

"Then maybe I should be out there, so you'd be forced to protect me," she suggested, crossing her own arms across her chest. "From the sound of things, they could probably use all the help they can get."

"It's too dangerous!" he insisted. "You're safer in here!"

"Coward!" Vivio insulted. "I wouldn't be afraid to go out there!"

Both adults turned to look at her, each raising an eyebrow.

x~~*~~x

"Sorry, I'm late," Griffith said, entering the Long Arch control room. "You wouldn't believe what hoops some people still want you to go through to switch commands. Even under these circumstances. And Chrono sends his regards."

"I'm glad you're here, Griffith," Hayate told him. "I'm sorry to hear about Lucino."

He looked uncomfortable for a bit, his eyes focused somewhere else for a brief moment. "We lost a lot of good people."

She simply nodded, knowing there was nothing else she could say.

All eyes watched whatever monitor they could, as the timer counted down, eventually reaching 0. Cameras recorded as Alhazard began to descend through the upper atmosphere, it's speed slowing tremendously. Eventually it leveled off several kilometers from the ground, and began to float across the sky, heading straight for Clanagan.

"It's firing again!" Gerard called.

Hayate brought up a screen. "Shari!"

"Almost!" the senior technician replied from the monitor. "A few more minutes! We have to hook these relics up just right or the whole city will blow!"

"We don't have a few more minutes!" the Long Arch commander responded.

The ground rocked as several crimson beams impacted across the city, vaporizing buildings and trees, and cratering the ground.

"More shots incoming!" Gerard announced.

Hayate grit her teeth. "Shari!"

"Coming online now!" she called, slamming a button.

The next wave of crimson beams impacted a magical purple barrier that flared to life, covering the entire city, as Hayate collapsed into her chair with relief. For the moment, the shield appeared to be holding, but the floating city was coming closer.

She opened another window to Mariel and Auris. "How long until the shuttle can launch?"

"Alhazard is approaching from the northwest side of Clanagan," Mariel replied, turning toward the screen. "Since the Einherjar cannon is sitting directly south of the city, we'll basically have to wait until it's almost on top of you in order to get a good attack angle."

"Understood," Hayate acknowledged. "Launch when you can. We'll be doing our best to give you cover." She signed off and stood up, turning to Griffith. "Can I leave you in charge? I need to head out there now."

He nodded, saluting. "You can count on me. Good luck!"

x~~*~~x

"T minus 5 minutes to launch," a voice sounded over the speakers. "All personnel to their assigned stations."

Subaru sat down in her chair lined up against the right side of the craft and buckled herself in, noticing the look on her friend's face as she did so. "What is it, Tea?"

"What if..." the orange-haired girl started, glancing downwards a bit, worry evident in her voice. "What if this doesn't work?

"Then we all get vaporized!" Subaru answered with a smile, laughing at her friend's blanch. "Oh, cheer up. We'll be fine. Yuuno won't let us down."

Both girls looked over to the suddenly apprehensive archeologist, sitting in the chair in the middle all by himself. He chuckled nervously.

Arf sat down next to Subaru and strapped in as well, while Nanoha, Caro, and Erio occupied the three seats lining the other side. Fried was also strapped into a special baby-seat, and Fate occupied the pilot's seat up front. While most of the flight would be automatic, there would be a need for someone to take control after passing through the shield in order to find a place to land.

The back of the craft was sealed, as Nanoha handed a red jewel to Yuuno and smiled. "You'll need this."

He nodded, understanding, holding it in his hand as he began to chant the activation password: "I, the one who accepted this mission, by the ancient contract, order you to release your power! The wind is in the sky, and the stars are in the heavens. And a resolute heart beats within my chest. This magic in my hand, Raging Heart, Set up!"

Light fluttered around him as his barrier jacket formed and Raging Heart shifted into staff mode. It had been a long time since he had worn this outfit; it was almost an exact copy of the won he had worn in his younger days, except for being sized to fit his larger frame and tan pants instead of shorts. Yuuno was the original owner of Raging Heart, and thus could use it, although not as well as Nanoha. Still, it would be critical to boosting his barrier magic for the 34 second flight. However, there was one more component needed.

"Are you ready, Caro?" Yuuno asked, looking over at her.

She nodded, already having Kerykeion activated with arms crossed over her chest, back of her hands facing outward. She would also be boosting his barrier power.

"Boarding bridge has been retracted," Fate announced from the front. "Flight program has been uploaded. We launch in one minute."

Subaru grinned, then spoke the sentiment they all shared. "Let's do this!"

x~~*~~x

"The target has ceased firing for now," Gerard announced. "But there appear to be multiple contacts dropping from it!"

"We see them," Hayate replied from a monitor. "Some type of robot forces; they are passing through the city barrier. Tell all forces to engage. We must hold out and protect the shelters until the strike team deals with the city!"

"Understood," Griffith replied. "I received a report from Colonel Nakajima; all forces are in position now."

All across the city, beams of light began to crisscross as the battle was joined.

x~~*~~x

From a mesa to the far south side of Clanagan, a section of the plateau opened up and the three large box cannons of the Einherjar system were slowly raised into position. Braced in the center of the middle cannon by crossed iron beams, occupying less than half of the barrel, the strike team's shuttle sat.

The notification was given that the the magic capacitors below were fully charged now, and they dumped all their energy into the cannon as it roared to life.

Yuuno activated his full Steel Defense oval-shaped barrier seconds before white fire engulfed the tiny shuttle. The engines flared to life, and the ship took off like a rocket, riding inside the beam. The force of the blast impacted Alhazard's shield shortly thereafter, but the ship itself would still take more time to reach it.

Inside, Yuuno and Caro both strained, dumping the full limits of their power into maintaining shield strength. But despite all their power, he wasn't sure he could make it, the sheer pressure of the magical forces being brought to bear threatening to overwhelm him. Never had 34 seconds seemed so incredibly long.

Nanoha had been watching his face, and came to a decision. She unbuckled her harness and surged forward against the force of the bucking vessel, grabbing onto his chair. She came to kneel in front of him, placing her hands over his on the shaft of Raging Heart, adding her magic to his. What's more, small beams of pink light began to streak in to the red orb on the staff.

Yuuno's eyes widened a bit, understanding what she was doing. Not only was she adding her magic, but she was activating the pre-firing component for her Starlight Breaker. She was actually absorbing the spent magic from both the cannon and the shield, and using it to reinforce his own powers. The extra strength was just enough for him to hold out the required time.

"Yuuno, we're almost there!" Fate called. "AMF armor coming online in 4... 3... 2... 1!"

The barrier-mage cut power to his shield a second after the armor came up. The ship surged forward almost uncontrollably, and Nanoha tumbled into him. He reached around and locked his arms behind her back, gritting his teeth as the ship felt like it was coming apart. Nanoha slide her arms under his and pressed her cheek into his shoulder, holding on as best she could.

Like a boat dropped out of a waterfall and onto a calm lake, it was suddenly over.

"We're in!" Fate shouted, trying to get control of the craft as it began to tumble out of control. "Hold on!" She fought the controls, managing to bring a semblance of domination over the ship, but she also noticed the warning lights. "We lost an engine at the last moment; landing is going to be rough!"

She managed to line up on one of the empty streets as it came down roughly, skidding along while she fired the retro-boosters. The shuttle bounced and flipped once, then came back down right-side up again, drifting sideways. A large building loomed closer and closer as speed bled off, and then the ship slammed into it.

All was suddenly quiet again as the craft powered down.

x~~*~~x

There were several types of robots attacking. The first and most numerous types were golden and silver, and humanoid in appearance, but lacking a real face. Instead, they just had a short, squat head with two glowing red eyes. Their arms ended in the barrels of energy cannons, their main form of attack. Their mobility was high, and also had a fairly strong bubble shield that took a lot to overwhelm and penetrate.

As Signum sliced into another one, she decided she hated that type the least. She could at least get through its shielding with enough fire power, but the lower ranked mages had to combine multiple shots for a period of time to punch through it. And while they currently held the numerical advantage, robots continued to fall from the city almost faster than they could be destroyed.

Her vision caught several ground mages being overrun by three of the humanoid robots, and she dove lower, syncing her thoughts with Agito.

"Fire Phoenix Flash!" Both of them intoned, lancing out with a whip of fire to slash into all three, destroying two and sending the third tumbling into a building.

"Behind you!" Agito's alarmed voice called from within.

Signum turned, too slowly she realized, as a pair of humanoids closed in behind her, arm barrels charging with crimson energy.

In the next split second, both robots we're holed through the middle by a pair of green energy lances.

"[You need to be more careful about watching your back,]" came Vice's amused telepathic message.

The Belkan Knight frowned, tracing the lances to their source, barely making out a mechanical looking form on top of a building at the edge of her vision. "[Your sniping skills seemed to have increased in range and power.]"

"[I got an upgrade,]" came his pleased tone as he shot down another android.

She noted that his position had been made known, as a trio of robots were homing in on him, firing. Reacting swiftly, she joined her sword with her scabbard, turning Levantine into bow form.

"Sturm Falken!" she shouted, releasing the powerful energy arrow, piercing the middle of the three and sending the other two spinning away. "[You need to be more careful about watching your own back.]"

"[Point taken,]" he replied, chastened, taking out the other two. "[But I think more action and less conversation is called for.]"

Signum agreed, and both warriors returned their full attention to the fight.

x~~*~~x

_"You'll be leaving for the shuttle soon," the human-looking male told her. It wasn't a question._

_The woman with orange ears nodded, pausing from her workout. "You won't be coming along?"_

_There appeared to be something behind his eyes. "No, my place is with my mistress, and the rest of the Wolkenritter. I see you are working on your fighting skills; would you like to spar with me?"_

_"Sure!" Arf smiled, stepping into an open area of the training room._

_They studied each for several moments, then sprang at each other trading lightning-fast punches and kicks. She seemed pleased as she slowly drove him backwards, gaining the edge ever-so-slightly in strength and speed. But she was also seemingly a bit less skilled, as he used long-practiced techniques to deflect and counter her attacks._

_Somehow, she was enjoying it more than she thought she would._

_Eventually, she managed to break this defense, sending him to the mat. Quickly, she pounced on top of him, pinning his arms with her hands, and his legs with her own. For several moments, they panted and watched each other._

_She grinned. "I won."_

_He smiled slightly. "Maybe." In a quick move, he somehow managed to dislodge her and switch their positions. "But you let your guard down at the end. An enemy will take advantage of that; never lower your guard, so that you may protect those dear to you."_

_"I'll keep that in mind," she told him, struggling a bit. She felt she might have been able to push him off, and his bared fangs seemed to indicate he was baiting her to try._

_But then he surprised her by getting off, and as she stood up, he tossed something at her. "A small gift. I look forward to you coming back alive, along with everyone else." He turned and started to walk out of the room._

_Arf looked down at the loose collar in her hands, a small gold locket hanging from it, and wondered._

x~~*~~x

Arf shook her head as she awoke, wondering why she suddenly thought of that. Absently, she touched the locket on her neck, still wondering what it was for. The collar expanded and contracted based on what form she was in, so it held no disadvantage for her. But even so, it pleased her to wear it. Why was that?

"Is everyone alright?" Teana called as she recovered, beginning to undo her harness.

Nanoha seemed to jump away from Yuuno, and Arf realized she had still been in the kneeling position, but looking up at him. What startled her so much?

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha called, taking off the for cockpit. Arf joined her.

"I'm fine," Fate replied, pulling her head away from the airbags as the girl and the guardian beast worked to undo her harness. "Remind me to thank Mariel for including that particular safety feature."

"Will it be able to fly again?" Nanoha asked.

Fate hit a few controls. "Maybe. There's a decently good chance we can make an awkward flight out of here, but if worse comes to worse, we can just fly down individually, too. Provided the city doesn't go too much higher into the atmosphere."

Subaru kicked the back hatch open when it refused to lower on its own, then whistled. "Now that's some city!"

"It's so pretty...." Caro added in awe, coming up beside her.

The three in the cockpit joined Yuuno and the strikers at the hatch, and they all stepped out together, admiring the pristine architecture and layout.

Arf could sum it up in one word: "Gold."

Of course, that was a bit simplistic, as there was a multitude of gold shades, intermixed with silver and brass. And surprisingly, there were green trees planted every so often along the sidewalks. Skyscrapers rose to the right of them, while shorter buildings lay to the left. At the far end of the street, an ornate arch hung, inlaid with many different jewels of varying colors. It was all very technological-looking, but also somewhat... fancy in an aesthetic sense.

"Those ancients really knew how to make an expensive-looking city," Subaru said off hand. "This place is worth a small fortune!"

"Probably untold knowledge, laying in wait in it's depths," Yuuno agreed, nodding.

Nanoha looked at him with a smile, then shook her head.

"Precia is here somewhere," Fate said, bringing them all back to the present. "Probably somewhere in a control center which will most likely be in the middle of the city. Let's not waste time."

Caro summoned the adult form of Fried up for her, Erio, and Teana, while Nanoha, Yuuno, Fate, and Arf drifted upwards to get a better look around.

"What's that?" Fate wondered aloud, the other three orienting on the direction she was pointing. Several objects could be seen in the distance, growing larger as they approached.

"Look out!" Yuuno shouted in warning, jumping in front of them and quickly throwing up his strongest Round Shield as the objects fired. He winced as the crimson and gold energy shots were deflected.

"Yuuno!" Nanoha called, helping to reinforce his barrier. "You're still weakened from the efforts on the shuttle ride; you need to take it easy for awhile."

He grit his teeth. "I can handle this."

"Trident Smasher!" Fate shouted, thrusting her hand out, firing three brilliant yellow beams. "Nanoha is right, you should withdraw to the shuttle for now. We'll cover you."

To the surprise of all, the three targets that were stuck seemingly shrugged off the attack and kept coming, being joined by more of their brethren. As they were closer now, Arf couldn't shake the feeling that the knight-like characteristics appeared somehow... familiar. The golden-armored figures each held a large shield in their left hand, and a sword or a lance in their right.

"Fate-chan, aren't those..." Nanoha started as she deflected another energy attack.

"They look like my mother's old robots," Fate finished for her, dodging between shots. "But it's obvious she upgraded them."

Arf growled, shifting to full beast form, leaping at the nearest sword-wielder as it came close. For a moment, she was stopped by its bubble shield; then she roared and pushed in with her claws which had begun to glow bright pink. It swung the sword at her as the bubble shattered, but Arf caught it in her jaws and broke it. The rest of the mechanical creation was shortly turned to scrap under the vicious animalistic fury assault.

Bloodlust roaring strong now, the Guardian Beast hungrily looked for another target, but realized something: the group was becoming separated. Only a bright pink flash let her know where Nanoha was, and Fate was similarly starting to drift out of view, trying to fight off several of the flying knight robots.

On the ground, Subaru and Teana appeared to be fighting the city itself, which had seemingly come alive. Mechanical tentacles snaked out of various nooks and crannies, and several bright red orbs had appeared, firing beams at them. The cyborg had smashed up a few, but now had one arm and leg held tight by several tentacles, being dragged into a hole that had opened up in the middle of the street. Tea was trying to free her, but was also finding herself overwhelmed.

Yuuno, Erio, and Caro were nowhere to be seen.

Arf growled; she couldn't help them all, and two more of those robotic creatures were closing in on her. Still, she unleashed a rain of magical bolts at the tentacles holding Subaru, destroying them to free her, then took off towards Fate at top speed, eventually smashing into the backside of one that was cornering the golden-haired girl. It's barrier must have been weakened, because it didn't take much to shatter both shield and robot.

"[Arf, Nanoha, we're being deliberately herded away from each other!]" Fate sent, switching Bardiche to Haken form and charging head on into the group of robots, slicing into one's shield. "[I've lost contact with Yuuno and the Strikers.]"

"[Same here,]" Nanoha sent. "[I can just barely see you. The barrier on these things are strong, and there's too many. We need to rendezvous back at the shuttle and-]" The rest of her message cut off.

"[Nanoha!]" Fate called as she shielded Arf and herself in a Defenser Plus barrier to ward off the rain of energy shots.

As the barrier began to crack, Arf snarled in anger. One by one, they were losing each other. And if things didn't change soon, the two of them would soon be next.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Rewrite finished for this chapter, but as always, constructive feedback is still welcome.


	22. Separations

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 22: Separations**

Xx~~*~~xX

The robots stopped firing, causing the pair in the yellow bubble to blink in surprise.

"Why did they-" was all Arf got out before Fate inhaled sharply.

"Mother..." she breathed, nearly snarling the word, as a life-sized hologram of Precia Testerossa flew through the robots which were now simply hovering in standby mode.

"Why, it is a pleasure to see you again!" the Precia hologram stated in mock happiness. "Although, I should have realized that you would be among the ones who chose to visit my fair city. And I see you brought that pathetic familiar with you."

"Why are you doing this!?" Fate demanded, ignoring Arf's growl. "Didn't you get what you wanted already?"

"Things are a bit more complicated that I had expected," the hologram admitted. "But the look on your face tells me you had already suspected that." She turned around, heading back for the circle of robots. "If you want to know more, feel drop by my personal residence; I assume you can find it." She paused, sending a last look over her shoulder. "If you can survive, that is."

"MOTHER!" Fate screamed in anger, as the hologram disappeared. [What is she hiding!?]

Arf resumed her ready stance in response to the robots powering up their chest cannons. She sent her acknowledgment as Fate relayed her plan and both began to gather magic.

In the next moment, the robots fired, shattering the shield. That was promptly followed by a brilliant golden blast that exploded in all directions, encompassing them all, the epicenter belonging to a certain angry young woman.

x~~*~~x

Yuuno awoke, groaning in pain as a dull ache in the back of his head made itself known. He slowly sat up against a wall and took a deep breath, remembering how several of the robots had ganged up on him, firing into his barrier. With him already weakened from the trip, the shield dissolved under multiple explosions and sent him careening through the air.

"Well, I'm still alive somehow," he noted aloud. "They didn't finish me off, perhaps thinking I was taken care of. Which perhaps leaves me some time to explore this city for knowledge and information. It's hard to believe I'm really here, in the city of the Ancients. The architecture alone is amazing."

"Thank you," a light female voice answered. "I knew I was correct in ensuring you remained unharmed."

Yuuno turned in surprise, seeing a young girl with gold hair in twin pony tails standing several meters away. "You're... Alicia!?"

"Negative," the Alicia-looking individual replied. "I have merely borrowed the appearance of a recent traveler, in order to facilitate communication with the biological entities of this time period."

The archeologist had a thought as he stood up, studying her. "Wait... are you a personification of the city itself?"

"Close enough," it responded. "Alhazard's network proliferates throughout this principality, so I could partially be considered a manifestation of the urban capital's computer system."

"But aren't you under the control of Precia Testerossa?" Yuuno asked, coming up to her, reaching out to confirm she was a hologram when his hand passed through her.

"Currently control of most city functions is under that aspect," the Alicia-hologram informed him. "But it is... complicated for normal humans to understand. For instance, I was able to... convince the combat units to not end your existence."

That caught him off-guard. "Why?"

"Part of my programming is to assist knowledge-seekers," she explained, holding up one hand. A miniature version of himself appeared there.

"Probably untold knowledge, laying in wait in its depths," the recording spoke, then disappeared.

Yuuno was impressed. "Well, I am an archeologist and the head librarian at the Infinity Library. I would seek to learn more about you, this city, and the ancients who built it." This program appeared to be separate from Precia's control. Perhaps he could learn something to use against her. But first, "Can you help my friends like you did for me?"

She shook her head, her first real physical action. "I apologize. I have limited control at this current juncture in time. I could only conceal you from detection from that aspect." She rose, floating several inches above the floor. "If you follow me, I can guide you to the library of Alhazard. All knowledge is available within."

"Lead the way," he told her, smiling, as she turned and floated down the street, guiding him.

x~~*~~x

Nanoha seethed as she deflected another attack, then destroyed the attacking robot with her remaining Axel Shooter shots. She had long lost track of how many she had eradicated, yet more still came.

And to make matters worse, she had lost contact with everyone; there appeared to be some sort of jamming field interfering with electronic communicators, and even mental telepathy seemed to be repressed beyond a certain range. She had learned that, when an attack had forced farther away from Fate in the middle of a conversation.

She dove to the ground to escape her attackers, but they pursued, firing. She formed more orbs, firing behind her to take them out, then ducked down a narrow side street. One of the robots tried to follow, but the alley was too narrow and it merely crashed into both buildings, then was promptly crushed by falling debris.

The TSAB Ace released a few more searcher spheres and emerged on the other side, cursing that yet more knight-like robots were waiting for her. They fired as she put up her barrier, and she detonated it to give herself some cover. When the smoke cleared, her attack was charged.

"Divine Buster!" she shouted, sweeping the beam over several targets.

She took off again as more dove from the sky, swerving to dodge the hail of energy blasts that sought her out. A large open doorway of a domed-structure ahead gave her an idea, and she put on an extra burst of speed to stay ahead of her pursuers; just enough to send her through ahead of their attacks. She immediately turned and charged up again, preparing to finish off all of her attackers at once as they came through.

But long moments passed with nothing appearing. Then the door promptly shut tight, leaving her in darkness.

"Welcome!" a familiar voice addressed her. "You seemed to have found me."

Nanoha turned to see a pair of lights illuminate a female figure standing on a high podium, her arms spread wide to welcome the girl. "Precia!"

"I must admit, you were very impressive out there," the grand mage complimented her. "I can see now how you managed to beat my Fate."

"You are under arrest on suspicion of assault and causing a disturbance of the peace," Nanoha told her, aiming her staff. "If you surrender, you will be given a chance to defend yourself in court. Disarm now if you agree."

Precia roared in laughter. "Oh my, that was too good, my dear! I can see now why my Fate likes you so much." She wiped her eyes. "But unfortunately, you are an obstacle that needs to be removed. It was your interference last time that ruined my chances at obtaining the Jewel Seeds. You corrupted my Fate away from me." She formed a purple energy ball in her left hand, that crackled with electrical power. "And now you will die."

The TSAB Ace grit her teeth, leaping out of the way as the sphere of generated power was thrown at her. "If you had treated Fate more like a daughter, then perhaps you wouldn't have lost her!" She formed several Axel shooter orbs, sending them at her mage opponent.

As the smoke cleared from the multiple explosions, the podium was empty; the real Precia was revealed to be floating higher up as the lights in the large dome came on, exposing a sort of sports coliseum. "Perhaps if Fate was a real human, I might have. But she was just a tool, created for a purpose: to serve me. Tools can be treated anyway a person wants." She suddenly realized Nanoha had disappeared from her previous spot.

"Fate is no tool!" Nanoha shouted back from above, angry, her attack charged. "She is more of a person than you will ever know!"

"Divine Buster!" Raging Heart chirped, firing.

The large beam enveloped her targeted a split second before Precia could think about moving. As the beam faded, Nanoha eyes widened in surprise. "Precia" was falling backwards, but parts of her clothing and flesh had been blasted away, revealing mechanical circuitry underneath. The automaton hit the ground and broke into several pieces.

"As expected of the Bureau's Ace of Aces," came Precia's voice from the side of the sports dome; another "Precia" had just entered. "As you may have figured out, that version of me was a robot, designed to evaluate your moves and spells." She lowered her staff, firing off a purple blast of lightning.

Nanoha threw up a quick Round Shield to deflect it aside, spinning out of the way of the beam and firing in return. Precia merely held up her own hand, stopping the Divine Buster cold. Then she leapt into the air, her staff firing off six purple beams that arced to converge on their target.

"Crossfire shoot!" Nanoha shouted, pointing her right hand. Several beams lanced out, each impacting Precia's shots. Smoke from the impact explosions filled the upper reaches of the domed coliseum, temporarily obscuring the combatants' views of each other.

To her surprise, Precia came flying through the smoke, laughing maniacally. She batted aside Nanoha's follow up shot with her staff and thrust out her other hand, purple energy blasting forth. Nanoha put up a barrier to block it, concentrating. Precia's laughter ended as a dozen Axel shooter orbs impacted her body from all directions.

Nanoha felt herself breathing heavier now as the second automaton fell to the ground in pieces. All this continuous combat would begin to wear at her; she couldn't stay here forever. Yet another Precia appeared from the door again, this time without speech, and immediately fired on her. She quickly sprang above it, but another blast caught her in the back and sent her slamming into the wall.

She dropped to the ground, but as she picked herself up, Nanoha glimpsed two Precia robots advancing on her, their hands glowing.

x~~*~~x

"Damn that girl!" Teana cursed, slogging through the water. She grit her teeth, wondering for the umpteenth time why she had to jump down here after that fool cyborg.

The gun mage recalled how Subaru had been snagged, and consequently freed by Arf. And then had the audacity to charge full steam down into the hole, shouting that she was going to get rid of those tentacles at their source. And Teana just *had* to jump down after her, because she knew Subaru would end up needing her help.

The junior agent had found herself in what looked like an underground water collection pit; Tea was just glad it wasn't a sewer. Although it could have been one; with no one occupying the city for thousands of years, there wouldn't be much in the way of waste. Either way, the last she saw of her friend was right after she had leapt down the hole. Subaru had been deliberately falling even deeper into the large pit, although as far as Tea could see, the bottom was obscured due to the darkness.

The gun mage used her magic grappling rope to swing down to the watery bottom, but lost track of of her target. Only the sound of an explosion had led her to taking this particular tunnel.

"Subaru!" she called, no longer hearing any sounds except for the running water.

Teana sighed, wondering if she'd ever find that girl and make it out of this alive. She turned a corner and heard a scream, recognizing the voice it belonged to. She took off sprinting down the tunnel as it eventually led her to a large open underground area, filled with several shallow pools and various streams running in and out of them.

It was here that she found her friend and the target she had been chasing, which appeared to be some sort of large square robot at the center of the mass of mechanical tentacles. She surmised it must have been what was attacking them from below, and Subaru had chased it down. But now the cyborg girl had both arms and legs trapped, and the robot was slowly trying to pull her apart.

The gun mage acted quickly, gathering her magic. "Crossfire Shoot!" Four shots took out the tentacles holding Subaru up, while another two went for the robot itself. A shield flickered around it as those last two magical bullets were nullified.

"Tea!" Subaru shouted in relief, as she landed on the ground.

"I figured you'd get yourself in trouble," Tea yelled back, shooting down the tentacles coming after her, one after another. "Go for the body while I cover for you!"

The cyborg nodded, taking off like a shot up a nearby wall, while Teana continued to snipe its appendages. But she realized she was making very little headway, as the severed ones healed themselves, re-growing the metal grasping claws. She took a step back as the number of targets grew and advanced on her.

"Divine Buster!" Subaru shouted, firing straight down as she fell. The force of the blast shoved the robot's main body into the ground, a second before the cyborg's revolver knuckle made impact. "Vibration Shatter!"

The shield held for a moment, and then the vibration attack tore apart the body from within. Teana leapt down from her perch as Subaru rebounded off the dying monstrosity and skated up to her friend.

Only to get a whack in the head from an angry gun mage. "You idiot! What did you think you were doing, going off like that!?"

"Ow!" Subaru exclaimed, rubbing her noggin. "Sorry, but we couldn't fight it like that. I realized it was coming from underground, so I went after it."

"You're just lucky I managed to find you in time!" Tea huffed. "Now let's go find the others and-"

She stopped as a sound came from above. Both girls looked up into the darkness, as two more of the multi-tentacled robotic creations dropped down onto them.

x~~*~~x

Erio had also ended up underground, but not entirely by choice. He had leapt off Fried to charge into a robot, skewering it and coming out the other side, when he heard Caro cry out. She had been knocked off Fried. He was about to dive for her, when she summoned, and then was caught by, Adelinde.

Instead, he spun and blocked a sword strike from one of the robots above him, but the force of the attack sent him falling backwards. He couldn't use Strada to regain flight, as he needed it to block and parry attacks from the robot and its blade, who were falling with him. Erio saw two more robots closing in out of the corner of his left eye, but then heard Caro shout for Fried's Blast Flare and they both exploded.

A port on the robot's chest began to glow, and Erio barely managed to twist his body aside as it fired. Still, it singed the barrier jacked on his side, and he felt more than heard, the explosion below. Continuing the twist, he managed to switch their positions as they fought in free-fall so that he was on top, the pair tumbling into a cratered hole in the road and disappearing into the darkness below street level.

He eventually broke away from his robot assailant, and used Strada's Snakeform to slice it up.

"Erio!" Caro called for him, flying straight down on Adelinde. The bottom of the hole loomed larger and larger, but she managed to grab his hand and level out as the ceiling started to come down. The pair shot into a side tunnel with Fried, who had returned to his smaller form, as the debris piled up behind them and blocked the tunnel entrance.

"I can't contact the others!" Caro told him worriedly after they had stopped to catch their breath. "Telepathy and the communicators aren't working!"

Erio discovered she was right. "They must be jammed or something." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Calm down; we should be able to reach them again once we return to the surface."

She looked up at him, determination returning to her face, and nodded. She then de-summoned Adelinde, as the tunnel was a bit too narrow for flight, and the pair took off, the splashing of their footsteps in the water the only sound. The passage slowly wound around to the left a good distance, and Erio felt they might be traveling counter-clockwise around the city. There was still no sign of a way up, however.

After several minutes, the tunnel narrowed a bit into more of a tube shaft, and the water level rose up to their knees to compensate. Then Caro screamed out behind him. He turned just in time to see her disappear under the water, apparently having found a weak spot in the construction.

"Caro!" he shouted, diving through the hole for her. He managed to grab her with one arm, and use Strada's booster to slow their flight, landing them gently. But both immediately noticed the precariousness of their new surroundings.

While the water continued to fall from the hole in the large pipe above them, it paled in comparison to the size of the room they found themselves in the middle of. All around them, machinery hummed and worked, constructing hundreds of various kinds of robots. From the knight types to more technological humanoid ones, they rode along on conveyer belts in different states of construction.

Including the fully completed ones at the end of the line, which had begun to turn towards the intruders.

Erio realized that he and Caro had just roused one big hornet's nest.

x~~*~~x

Arisa sped along the ground in wheeled roller skate mode, slashing with her vibroblade. The robot knight, that had been dubbed a type-2, exploded as it's internal energy was released. The type-1s were the humanoids with the double-barreled energy cannons. The type-2s looked more like armored knights, possessing more defensive and melee oriented equipment like swords and spears, though most still possessed some form of single energy cannon mounted in their chest.

It took more magical energy to get through the shield of a type-2, but Arisa found her vibroblade went through them nicely. It also required less magic. The spear-equipped mage units following the modern Belkan style, had begun to focus their attention on those, as combination magical-melee attacks penetrated easier.

She backed around a corner as two more came down the street, firing. She counted to three, then launched a thin strand across to latch onto a building on the other side. Both robots were split in half as they flew through the magic-enhanced garrote wire. Retracting, she took stock of her next move.

"Several units are breaking past our defensive line!" came the announcement from a front-line troop. "They are heading for the medical facility!"

Arisa cursed, then opened up her communication line, springing into the sky. "I'll get them!"

Terra brought up a map of the area, with blinking cursors marking friend and foe. Sure enough, two of the type-2 units and one of the type-1s were quickly approaching the medical center and firing, which is what she was supposed to be protecting. Green shields popped up to deflect the blasts, letting her know that Shamal had been watching. Arisa pushed the boosters and stowed the vibroblade, noting the range meter counting down.

"Not on my watch!" she yelled, taking aim.

Terra's hands exploded off her wrists, shooting downward while still attached via cables. The hands burned bright gold, punching through the type-2 shields and grabbing their stubby necks, squeezing. The type-1 stopped and turned, firing, but Arisa had already gone into a dive, retracting her golem's fists from the destroyed type-2's. She needed one more quick ranged attack, and fast; her magic barrier was taking several direct hits.

Deploying her magic artillery boxes, the golem pilot took careful aim, firing off a staggered series of blasts. She didn't want to hit the hospital. The thin blue beams exploded against it's bubble shield as it shot upwards. She dove passed it, brought out her main gun, twisted and took aim. A burst of multi-colored leapt from the barrel and struck the type-1 dead on, blasting through easily, as its shield had been weakened by the artillery.

"Immediate threat to the hospital has been averted," she informed the ground mages through her communicator.

[But the damn things kept coming!] she thought in frustration. She glanced upward for a moment at the huge floating city just sitting there, wondering how Nanoha and the others were doing.

Then her communicator crackled to life again, informing the golem pilot that she still had work to do.

x~~*~~x

"Father, we're here!" Nove shouted as she, Dieci, and Cinque leapt off Wendi's board. "Dieci got her cannon up and running, too!"

Genya turned to glance out the back side of the mobile HQ van, at his four newest daughters. "Good timing! Carim's church knights are helping to reinforce the northern section, but several of the shelters around the east are in danger. We could use your help."

"We'll handle it!" Wendi said confidently.

"Actually, you'll need to let your other three sisters handle it, Wendi," Genya told her, half-smiling and handing her a packet. "I have a special mission for you, and it's going to require you to fly as fast as you can."

x~~*~~x

Hayate clenched her teeth. This wasn't going too well.

They could just barely handle the type-1s and type-2s, and now a dozen of a new type were landing, that they were dubbing type-3s. As opposed to their smaller brethren, these were four-legged and huge, bigger than three-story buildings. They reminded Hayate of a cross between a crab and centaur, but huge and mechanical. They had a pair of energy cannon arms, but also numerous other weaponry such as missiles and smaller blasters.

Their shields were also nearly impenetrable. Hayate had just dumped a Rein-boosted Ragnarok spell into one, without leaving a scratch on it. As she ducked around a building to avoid return fire, she wondered how they were supposed to deal with these.

"It appears you are having some problems, young woman," an older voice admonished. "Mages today, thinking that brute power is everything."

Hayate blinked. "Bureau Chief of Staff Mizetto Kurooberu? What are you doing here? I thought you were evacuated with the other higher ups!"

She smiled, activating her staff as she walked past Hayate. "The council, such as it is, was evacuated. But I grew up here, and I'll be damned if I let it be destroyed or taken over by an ex-pupil of mine!"

"Wait, don't go out there!" the SS rank mage cautioned. "There's a huge, powerful robot!"

Mizetto stepped out, gathering her magic. "And you need to learn a few things, such as there is more ways to attack than through brute force alone!"

The Mistress of the Tome of the Night Sky peeked out, watching the elderly mage jam her staff, glowing with white magic, into the ground. Huge stalagmites shot up from underneath the type-3 giant, impaling it several different ways two seconds before it exploded into white hot metal.

"Wow," Rein admired from inside. "She's good!"

Hayate's nodded in agreement, then her eyes widened as she realized what that meant. "The shield stops at ground level?"

The elderly mage turned back, smiling, and tapped her head with her staff. "Indeed. Study your enemies for weaknesses before you go off, blasting your biggest spells at them." She turned to stare up at the floating city.

A sudden thought struck Hayate. "Wait, you said 'ex-pupil' before. Is Precia...?"

Mizetto nodded, her withered face hardening. "Precia Testerossa was once my student. But I never dreamed she'd go this far. Perhaps some time I'll tell you more about that, but not now. We have to protect this city until your friends succeed in their mission."

"Right," Hayate responded, taking flight to follow the old mage to their next target. There were more type-3s out there that needed smashing.

x~~*~~x

Nanoha floated down, landing on the stairs between two sections of seats, using Raging Heart for support as she panted heavily. The remains of the two Precia robots had joined their predecessors on the floor. If the pattern held up, more would be coming. She needed to get out of here. Feeling her breath return, she took off for the doorway she entered through.

She detected the attack out of the corner of her vision, changing her angle 45 degrees as a blast of purple energy smashed the ground in front of the door. Twisting on instinct, she threw up a Round Shield and deflected the attack from the second Precia-bot, sending it at the first. The automaton exploded in a shower of sparks.

"You're doing quite well, Ms. Takamachi," the Precia-bot told her. "But you've probably noticed by now that you'll lose. Each of these robots sends back what it learns, and a new one is created, programmed with counter-measures against how the previous one was destroyed."

"Why are you doing this?" Nanoha asked, seeking to stall for time to recover, since she seemed talkative again.

"Fate asked me the same question," Precia told her. "I'll tell you the same thing I told her; if you want to know, then you'll just have to come visit me!"

"Then why now?" Nanoha questioned.

The Precia-bot fired another shot, forcing Nanoha to move. "I can tell you that at least. I assume that idiot Jail finally detonated the relic bombs I gave him the plans for. The data I gave him suggested he could eliminate magic with it. The fool actually believed he could do that; I used his hatred of magic and love of science to free this city from its prison. I knew it was only a matter of time before he was tempted to use them."

"Axel Shooter," Raging Heart intoned, creating a dozen more orbs in response to the robot's continued attacks.

"Pathetic," Precia told her opponent as she was bombarded by them. The smoke slowly cleared to reveal her unharmed. "I am immune to that weak attack now." She looked around to find her target, noticing the charging action. "Interesting, but that attack you're planning now won't work, either."

Nanoha had chosen her position carefully. "Divine Buster!"

The pink beam flared downward at an angle, just missing her target, and instead impacting the door beyond that she had initially come through, on the ground level.

Precia began to laugh as Nanoha took off for it. "I'll give you credit for that, but surely you didn't think it would be that easy?"

Nanoha stopped as the smoke cleared, revealing the door still intact. She turned and glared at her robotic adversary.

"This entire dome is shielded," Precia told her, gathering a large ball of crackling purple energy. "You are here, Ms. Takamachi, until you die."

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

I remember seeing a few panels of the manga, where Mizetto beat the crap out of both Nanoha and Fate at the same time(although this was years before Strikers). It was implied she beat them, not through force alone, but through out-thinking them. Since then, I had that particular scene above in my head. Although, upon a second reason, it might not have been her, but someone else. But I'll still run with what I got.

I also resisted the urge to call this chapter: "Will the real Precia Testerossa please stand up?" Although I admit the idea came from an old episode of Star Trek: TNG. Riker, Data, and I think Tasha were trapped on a planet, and a new attack probe would launch every 11 minutes or something, from the destruction of the old one. Each was stronger than the last as the system learned. But don't think watching that episode will give you any insights here!


	23. The Bonds We Share

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 23: The Bonds We Share**

Xx~~*~~xX

"This is incredible, Alicia!" Yuuno stated as he stared in awe. The library was easily almost as big as the Infinity Library, but spread out among three large levels; all that valuable lost knowledge could bring about much good. A thought struck him. "Wait, do you have a different name I should call you?"

"Alicia is fine," the hologram replied. "My designation is almost incomprehensible in this language. In simple terms, I am merely an aspect of the main computer."

He pulled out a nearby book, flipped through some pages, and then laughed. "Of course. The language is in the ancient dialect. I could barely comprehend the tidbits I had seen before."

"I can help," the program told him. "As I am also a caretaker of this library, I can download the language into your mind."

"Really?" Yuuno inquired, looking up at her, then froze as her eyes flashed many colors. The book slipped from his hand as his mind went blank.

"It has been many years since I had found someone who prized knowledge so much, Yuuno Scrya," Alicia stated, the information beginning to download into his brain. "I find it to be quite a pleasure. I would wish for you to stay with me, share this data, and add what you have learned to this storehouse of knowledge."

"That would bring me pleasure as well," Yuuno replied in a monotone voice.

x~~*~~x

Fate panted, allowing Arf, now in woman form, to support her. The pair had managed to duck into a single-story house after eliminating the batch of robots which had been sent against them. More would be on their way, but the pair hoped that they had eluded their robot foes for now.

"We need to find the others," Fate declared when her breathing slowed. "Odds are, they are in trouble as much as we were." She paused, catching a glimpse of a small gold-haired girl that vanished around a corner.

"But where do we..." Arf trailed off she caught Fate's expression, turning to see what she was looking at. "What is it?"

"I thought I saw..." she started to say, almost afraid to say it. Instead, she took off down the hall and turned the same corner. The girl floated there, translucent, and there was no denying what she looked like. "Alicia...."

"I want to meet you..." the floating girl said in a haunting voice, then drifted backwards through a wall and disappeared.

"Was that a ghost?" Arf asked, confused.

"Or a hologram," Fate offered, turning to head back to the front door, trying to consider the implications. "I wonder if mother actually did it...."

"You think she's trying to lead us to Precia?" the Guardian Beast inquired, sounding like the old Arf again.

"I don't know," Fate replied, stepping out the front door and circling the house. But there was no sign of the girl.

Then there was a bright flash in the far distance, followed shortly by the ground shaking a bit under their feet. Fate's eyes narrowed; she recognized that sort of flash and what it meant.

She quickly took the air, Arf following in hot pursuit.

x~~*~~x

Ginga's spinning drill-knuckle penetrated the barrier of the type-2 robot easily, destroying it. She continued past and circled back around to the shelter she was guarding. Their forces were spread thin already, so there was only herself and a squad of four Rank A mages left guarding this one. And the robot forces were beginning to break through the defensive lines all across the city.

Something had to change soon.

"Officer Nakajima, more incoming!" one of the mages shouted, beginning to fire. The other three joined in, and managed to down a type-1 with sustained fire.

"I told you to call me Ginga!" she shouted, activating her wing road to head up and meet the assault.

There were still two type-1s and and three type-2s coming. She leapt off her road and slammed into one from above, destroying it, but cursed as the other four continued on. She knew she'd never be able to stop them all, and neither would those mages. They were bravely and calming firing, however, taking down another type-1. But they were about to get slaughtered.

And then a large energy blast came out of nowhere and obliterated the two type-2s in one shot. Ginga followed the beam trail back to it's source, eyes widening in surprise as she saw Dieci wave from the top of a building in the distance. And below her, Nove was charging in at full speed, carrying Cinque on her back. The remaining type-1 took to the sky, but Nove went up after it on her Airliner IS, and Cinque finished it off with several exploding daggers.

"Nove!" Ginga exclaimed. "Cinque! You guys came!"

"Of course we came!" Nove told her, grinning, as they rendezvoused back at the shelter. "You think you could have this much fun without us?"

"Due to the emergency situation, Father was able to get permission to allow us into enter combat," Cinque stated. "We relieved the defensive line farther up to go shore up the southern front." She brandished another pair of daggers in her right hand. "We shall help you protect this shelter."

Ginga smiled and nodded, as Dieci came up and saluted. "Nakajima family reporting for duty."

"If that's the case, where is Wendi?" Ginga asked, not seeing the last sister other than Subaru.

Nove grinned. "She's got some special orders."

x~~*~~x

"You can't be serious!" the commander of the facility said, staring at the piece of paper in his hands. "You have any idea who we have here?"

Wendi nodded. "I do. But as you can see, those orders are from Colonel Nakajima himself. The current state of emergency grants him additional powers in order to help defend the city from attack."

The commander sighed. "Very well, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." He turned around and entered a code in the panel, the door sliding open.

The three figures inside looked up at their new arrival, and one of them spoke: "My my, I didn't think I'd be seeing you, out of all people."

x~~*~~x

"Phantom Blazer!" Teana shouted, her guns side-by-side producing a large orange buster-like beam. One of the tentacle robots was smashed against the wall by the force of the blast, then it exploded as the shield failed.

Subaru smiled, glad that she had bought enough time for Tea to charge up that attack. The robot's were surprisingly not very intelligent, but they were highly annoying. Especially for her, since the many appendages made it difficult to get in close.

Then the whole city seemed to shake, and the remaining robot paused briefly. Subaru didn't know what to make it of it, but it gave her the opening she needed, and she charged in. It came out of its brief stupor a second too late; Subaru's knuckle smashed into it at full speed, not even encountering the shield.

The cyborg came out the other side and did a turn to come back around, then stopped. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" She paused. "Did you feel that shake?"

Tea nodded. "We won't know what's going on until we get topside again. Let's move before anymore of those things show up."

Subaru agreed and the two took off.

x~~*~~x

"Unwetterform!" Strada announced, crackling with energy as it changed to Thunderform.

Erio leapt into the air, coming down upon the nearest mostly-finished robot as it stepped off the belt to attack. "Thunder Rage!"

Electrical bolts showered the immediate area as his target was split in half, giving Caro time to summon Adelinde. The emerald dragon began to beat it's wings rapidly, blowing the advancing section of finished robots back.

"Fried, Blast Flare!" she commanded, the little dragon adding firepower to in the same direction.

"We need to get out of here!" Erio shouted to her, stepping back into her barrier shield as it absorbed the increasing battery of energy blasts.

"There's too many!" Caro shouted, straining to hold up her shield.

"Then I'll grab their attention and clear a path," he told her, lowering his spear. "Strada!"

"Zanber form!" it chirped, popping a couple of cartridges as the shaft shrunk and the sides of the spear collapsed inward. A golden blade extended, crackling with electricity. "Sonic Move!"

Erio shot out of the shield, slicing through several robots and ending up on the far side of the room. Another swing took out several more before they turned their attention to him. He put up a triangle shield with his left hand to block several energy blasts as he ran, but one clipped his right leg, sending him tumbling along the ground. Before he came to a stop, he activated Strada's boosters, sending him shooting forward along the ground, blade first, impaling another.

Caro felt her barrier beginning to break as Fried toasted another group, but Adelinde began to fly rapidly around her, setting up a mighty tornado shield. Seeing they might get overrun, she began blasting the machinery pumping out the half-finished robots with Shooting Ray.

She felt they actually might get through this, when one of the walls was blasted outward. Huge robots, bigger than any she had seen before, came through the large holes in the wall. Without regard for their brethren, the four-legged monstrosities fired their large arm beam cannons, barely missing Erio, but the force of the blast sending him flying across the room.

"No!" Caro shouted, realizing she they only had one chance left at this, and began to chant. "Glorious howl which pierces the heavens, that which will forever protect a distant land; come to my side, O black flame that is the land's protector. Dragon Knight Summon: Thunderous Roar of the Heavens."

Her voice rose to a crescendo. "Come forth, Voltaire!"

x~~*~~x

There was only one way out of this, Nanoha realized as the current Precia-bot crumbled under her ACS Strike Flame charge. Dropping to the ground, she quickly worked to gather magic, aiming up at the mid-level door. Sure enough, the first Precia-bot emerged ten seconds later, and was immediately ensnared by her delayed bind spell.

The TSAB Ace knew she only had a few more seconds before the second appeared. She prayed it would be enough as the large ball of magical energy gathered in front of her.

"Starlight Breaker!" she shouted, firing.

The blast of energy overwhelmed the bound robot, but went further, blasting through the shield and wall. It continued on, impacting the city's outer bubble shield. Much of the initial force was taken by the dome's shield, so the outer bubble merely rippled and distorted temporarily. Still, the city's power level seemed to flicker slightly and the ground shook, as it sought to restore balance.

Nanoha wasn't aware of this so much, as she was concerned with flying rapidly out through her newly-created hole. She managed to clear it a split second before the electric attack from the second Precia-bot struck. She worked to gain altitude as she prepared her next move, turning and aiming back as multiple Precia-bots began to pour from the hole.

"Barrel Shot," Raging Heart announced, firing the built up ball of invisible binding energy. A half-dozen or so bots were frozen around the hole.

"Excelion Buster, Force Burst," Nanoha called, dumping four cartridges as the energy ball built up. "Break... SHOOT!"

The energy ball exploded into multiple tendrils of magic, spiraling down towards the hole in the dome. The entire group of Preca-bots were vaporized in the path of the multiple beams, a second before the entire structure exploded. When the smoke cleared, all that remained was an extremely deep crater. Whatever factory there was gone as well. Or at least she hoped as Raging Heart vented steam and her Axel fin wings flickered from the magic drain.

She sensed the attack at the last moment, jerking to the side. The thin electric stream speared her upper right arm instead of her chest, but as she turned, she took the full brunt of a larger saturation beam. Her barrier shattered and she began to fall, her barrier jacket torn in a dozen places.

Her clouding vision could make out the two Precia's above her, twin visages of anger and malice plainly evident. And they were charging for another attack.

Suddenly she found herself in someone's arms, as the two Precia-bots separated to avoid Fate's Zanbar swing, but one of them was chopping in half anyway. Looking up, Nanoha noted that it was Arf who had caught her, and was now setting her down on the street.

"Sorry we're late," Arf told her. "A lot has happened. Don't worry, Fate will take care of those."

She nodded, feeling her strength returning a bit, focusing her magic on her arm wound to close it up and heal the damage. "I'll be okay in a bit. Just tell Fate that they are robots, although Precia's personality seems to be imprinted on them, or she's controlling them somehow."

"I will," Arf replied, then took off as both girls noted that the last robot had been joined by two more.

Nanoha pulled herself to her feet, looking for a good place to rest up for a bit. She knew Fate should be able to handle herself with Arf for support, so she focused on gaining some recovery time.

That's when Raging heart spoke up. "Wide Area Search successful."

Fate clashed with the Precia-bots, barely able to hold her own against three skilled targets. These were way tougher than the previous robots she had faced; she also had to focus hard to resist Precia's taunting.

"It appears you've learned a few tricks in the past 10 years or so," the robot who held her mother's visage noted. "But I was the one who imbued Linith with the knowledge of most of your tricks. I am a master at your magical style."

The remaining three Precia's converted their staves to electric whips, crackling with purple magical power. Despite herself, Fate experienced a momentary wash of childhood fear, having a deeply personal memory of those lashes.

"Fate..." Arf whispered, glancing in worry at the girl. "We can take them!"

"I'm no longer the person you knew back then!" Fate shouted, enraged, charging in.

The middle Precia fired off several photon lancers, while the other two flew forward. Fate swung her large sword, but one of the Precia-bots deliberately shot forward and blocked it with her whip, while the second snagged Fate's ankle with her. Fate screamed as magical voltage shot through her.

Arf shifted to wolf form and let loose a storm of orange magical bolts, then charged in. The bot that had been blocking Fate's sword, shifted over and put up a Round Shield to deflect the shots, while the one hanging back fired another round of photon lancers. The Guardian Beast took the attack head on, then charged out of the resulting smoke to send a half a dozen chains out to snag the two forward bots, but found her leg had been grabbed by the third's whip.

Fate cracked her eye open at Arf's roar of pain, the hand holding Bardiche grasping tighter. [Not... Arf!] Fighting against the pain, she surged forward, impaling the bot that had Arf held. Precia had a look of surprise for the one second before her released internal energies blew her apart.

Arf wasted no time in surging forward, biting down on the arm holding the whip that held Fate's ankle. Both remaining Precia's backed off, one of them watching the arm that held the whip begin the long descent to the ground. Snarling, the unharmed one took off, while the damaged one began firing bolts.

"Go after the other!" Arf shouted, charging the damaged bot. "I can handle this one!"

Fate nodded, her face determined, as she took off after the the last Precia robot.

x~~*~~x

Vita panted, having just slammed another type-2 drone into the pavement. But the real issue was the type-3 that was approaching the shelter, flanked by many more type-2s and type-1s.

"This is too much, even for us," Zafira told her, baring his fangs. "Though I am loathe to admit it."

"Shut up!" Vita told him. "None of these damn robots are getting by us!"

"Captain Vita, we should fall back with the other defensive forces!" one of the nearby mages told her. "We can't hold this line!"

She pointed her hammer at him, without even turning. "We hold this line! The lives of the people in the shelters behind us are our responsibility! You louts and Zafira take the little ones; the big one is mine! Graf Eisen!"

Jawhol!" it replied, growing in size. "Gigantform!"

The type-1s and type-2s dove to the attack as the mid-childan-style mages began to fire. Zafira and the Belkan-style mages engaged when they hit the defensive line, as Vita launched into the sky towards the type-3. It began firing but she skillfully dodged between the attacks and swung sideways, the extremely large hammer batting the target through several buildings to land on its side.

"Zerstörungform!" Graf Eisen chirped in response to Vita's mental command, consuming several cartridges. A large drill formed on one end and a rocket fired from the other.

Before it could recover, Vita leapt up and swung the huge rocket drill down. For a moment the shield stopped the attack.

"BREAK THROUGH IT!" Vita demanded..

Cracks started to appear on the bubble, and the drill finally went through, smashing the large centaur-robot and causing it to explode. Vita panted, floating backwards to assess the situation, as her hammer returned to normal size.

Almost immediately, frantic calls started coming through her communicator, from a male commander Vita had met once or twice before. "To anyone who can hear me! This is Captain Johannes Ulrich of the 74th battalion in western section 11! The drones are starting to kidnap my men, and they've broken through into one of the shelters. I need backup!"

Vita turned turned as more shouts sounded behind her, staring in shock as some of the robots were starting to grab some of the unconscious or unmoving mage troops and retreat to the sky with them.

"What in the hell is going on!?" she cursed aloud.

x~~*~~x

"Oh, I understand now!" came a familiar excited voice from inside. "The ancients were mostly isolationists, keeping to their own planet, but were forced to become anonymous nomads after they lost their home."

Nanoha walked farther into the building Raging Heart had directed her to, her head rising to trace the sound of the voice. "Yuuno-kun?"

"They wanted to destroy Alhazard, but the head scientist helped hide it between dimensions, instead!" the archeologists continued to speak aloud, as if he didn't hear her call. "But why did they sacrifice their entire planet to try and destroy it? And what's this experiment that the city contained?"

Nanoha followed the sound of the voice, floating up to the second level, ending up between two large book shelves. "Yuuno-kun!"

He didn't even turn to look at her. "I'm learning so much here, Nanoha! Blank spots in history can now be filled in! As I suspected, this is a treasure trove of lost knowledge. I must learn everything I can!"

She ran up to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Yuuno-kun? Can't it wait? Our friends are in trouble! They need our help!"

He pulled his shoulder out of her grasp, still not looking at her. "They will be fine, but this can't wait!" He began flipping through another book.

"What's the matter with you?" Nanoha, reaching both hands up this time to grab both his shoulders and turn him towards her. She was struck by the strange look in his eyes; as if he was barely focused on the present.

"Let go!" he told her, pushing her away and returning to his book. "I have more work to do."

"He's mine," a soft voice told the girl. "Never have I met such an individual with a thirst for knowledge."

Nanoha turned to see a young girl suddenly standing beside her. "Alicia!? What is going on?"

"I am the city's main computer, and the caretaker of this library," the girl replied. "Long have I been alone, and none before had what this man does. He shall learn everything, and share the vast amount of knowledge he has, adding it unto my own."

"Now listen here...!" Nanoha said, trying to grab the girl, her hand passing through, realizing it was just a hologram. "Yuuno is our friend; we need him!" She walked up to the boy and grabbed his arm. "Fate and Arf are out there fighting alone! They need our help! Our friends need us!"

He yanked it out of her grasp and continued to read. Frustrated, she wound up and attempted to slap him to his senses, but in a quick surprising move, he knocked her hand aside and roughly shoved her away. And still he continued to read.

"I told you, he is mine," the Alicia-hologram told her. "I have given him the key and heightened his desire."

Nanoha stared at Yuuno in shock, then determination returned as she raised her staff. "I'm sorry, Yuuno-kun, but I need to do this to bring you back to us."

She closed her eyes as a single tear leaked out, then fired. But Yuuno simply raised a hand and produced a shield, completely blocking the attack. Nanoha shut off the beam, realizing that it wouldn't work. Maybe if she used all her power, she could break through his barriers, but she couldn't risk using that much magic yet.

"Give him back!" Nanoha shouted at the program, another tear leaking out. "All this knowledge is pointless unless it's shared with the world! We can't do that if we're all killed here!"

The Alicia-hologram looked at her, some interest present on her otherwise emotionless face, as if considering her words. "I'm afraid that isn't possible. Once I have his data, I will evaluate the possibility to determine if the time is right for the return of this knowledge. Even I cannot stop his heightened desire for information right now. Only when he has absorbed everything, will it end."

"I can't wait that long!" Nanoha told her, turning back to the engrossed archeologist, then setting Raging Heart down and taking slow steps towards the boy. "Yuuno, I know you. You shared your knowledge with me back on that day, and in doing so, gave me something precious. Even you know that knowledge is pointless without friends to share it with.

She came to stand next to him, wondering if his reading had slowed or if it was her imagination. "We're all waiting for you to come back to us. All your friends. Me, Fate, Arf, Hayate, everyone! So please...."

His fingers slowly turned a page as Nanoha built up her courage, remembering certain particular words Alicia had said, praying this would work. If it not, she didn't know what else she could do. Her heart began to speed up as she realized what she was about to do, and what it meant.

In one quick move, she stepped in front of him, took his face in her hands and pressed her lips up against his.

Yuuno seemed to freeze in front of her, but perhaps she was just feeling time itself come to a stop. Then she felt him begin to kiss back, and the book he was holding slipped out of his hands, dropping to the floor.

Nanoha eventually pulled back to look into his eyes, her cheeks burning. "Yuuno?"

His eyes seemed to slowly come back into focus. "Na... noha?" He stared at her in wonder, then his face dropped. "I'm... sorry, Nanoha. I think I got a bit carried away."

Her hands still on his cheeks, she lifted his head again. "It's okay; that's what your friends are here for." In a slightly quieter voice, she added, "That's what I'm here for."

"I don't understand," the Alicia program stated in a flat voice, breaking them both out of the moment. "How did you cancel the hypnosis conditioning?"

Both humans blushed, then Yuuno spoke up. "I'm sorry, Alicia. It would take too much time to explain now, and I need to go help my friends. I'm grateful for what you've done for me, and I would like to get to know you better, and return to share knowledge. If you want to understand, then come with us."

She appeared to consider that, then nodded. "I shall. It appears there is something in human emotions that I still do not fully comprehend. This could be critical information."

Nanoha pulled away and picked up her staff. "Fate and Arf are in danger, and I still don't know where the Strikers are."

He nodded. "Right, let's go!"

x~~*~~x

Fate landed on the steps. The large royal-looking building in front of her was where the Precia-bot had disappeared into. And by her calculations, it was about in the center of the city. If she was right, this was where the real Precia would be hiding out. Apparently, her mother wanted a direct confrontation now as well.

Gathering her courage, she climbed the last steps, but then stopped at the small figure in front of the door.

"You're here..." the hologram that looked like Alicia said, smiling, reaching out to her. "I want to meet you... please!"

Fate held out her hand, but the words died on her lips as the hologram faded away. What was going on? Was that really her dead sister? Or just another trick by Precia? [There's only one way to find out.]

She pushed the wooden doors open and stepped inside. A red carpet connected the doors she had just come through, with another pair directly ahead. A black and white checkered marble floor covered the room, and a pair of winding marble staircases to the right and left twisted up to a second level. An ornate chandelier hung from the ceiling, providing more than enough light. It was almost as if she had stepped into the foyer of an elegant mansion.

Ignoring that thought for now, she walked straight ahead to the second set of doors, slightly ajar. Entering the even larger room beyond, her visage hardened.

"Welcome at last, my wayward daughter," Precia Testarossa told her, smiling, sitting on a throne on a raised podium at the other end. A second Precia stood at the base of the podium. "As you may suspect, I am the real thing. I've been looking forward to your visit for sometime."

"Is sister really here!?" a voice asked from off to the side. The owner, wearing a pretty, flowered, summer dress, promptly ran in and hugged her mother while studying Fate.

"Yes, my dear Alicia," Precia told her, leaning down to pet her daughter's head, smiling warmly. "This is your sister, Fate Testarossa." Her smile widened even more. "Now we can truly be a real family again!"

Fate could only stare in shock.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

I hope everyone enjoying reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! The Library scenes and the Alicia program had been clearly in my head almost since I started outlining this fic.

Caro haxxors. It's kinda hard writing around her because of Voltaire. It's almost like an "I win" button. But don't get me wrong, I love her to pieces. And I think you all knew he had to come out sometime, so the trick was delaying things long enough until that point. :P

I wanna provide a shout-out to Nijiru for the use of Johannes Lucius Ulrich, who we'll see a bit more of in the next chapter.


	24. Those We Wish to Protect

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 24: Those We Wish to Protect**

Xx~~*~~xX

Vivio stared in shock. The door to the shelter and been broken into, and several knight-like things were starting to grab people. A little girl screamed as she was seized, whom Vivio recognized as the one who was playing with the Nanoha doll earlier. It then began to fly out the same entrance they had busted in through.

Growing angry, Vivio glanced over her shoulder at the Kyoya and Miyuki people she had just met, but the man was just standing in front of the woman in a protective stance.

"Well, if you're not going to do something, I will!" she shouted at them, concentrating on her magic, willing the change. She could sense their surprised gazes on her, as her body grew and her saint armor formed.

With a mighty battle cry and multi-colored glowing fists, Kaiser-form Vivio Takamachi launched herself at the retreating robots holding hostages. She ripped off the arms holding the people first and tossed them lightly back behind her, then punched through it. The robot exploded in her face, but Vivio brushed off the soot and took off up the long tunnel that led to the surface.

She still had to rescue that girl from the other one.

x~~*~~x

"I don't believe it!" Kyoya exclaimed, incredulous.

"Believe it," Miyuki told him, glaring. "That little girl just saved those people, and is going to save the others. She has power and she is not afraid to use it to help others. And what are you going to do about it?"

For most of her life, she hadn't been able to focus much. Things went by in a confused blur, distorted. Then, as she stayed in that hospital, slowly things began to make sense. Miyuki probably wasn't her real name, but somehow she felt she knew this Kyoya person and that's what he had called her, so she had accepted that name for now.

She didn't know anyone else, except for some partial feelings that the Nanoha girl was somehow familiar. Still, when Kyoya offered to take her away until they could sort things out, she accepted. It would give her time to think and figure out the world around her. She had gotten to know the young man who had been promising to protect and guard her, and slowly make sense of her scattered memories. As well as make new ones.

And that little girl had said she was Nanoha's daughter. Somehow, she thought that should surprise her, but it didn't.

Kyoya hesitantly met her glare, then sighed in defeat. "Alright, fine! I'll do something. But what about you? It'll be harder to protect you if I'm fighting, and I can't risk leaving you here."

She stood up, her white pentagram magic symbol flaring to life underneath her, offering her hand. "You know I can do a bit to take care of myself."

He nodded, taking her hand and stepping close to her. Miyuki's pentagram enlarged a bit to encompass him in the center, then began spinning faster and faster. Both were enveloped in white light, then disappeared as she teleported them straight to the surface.

x~~*~~x

"Is this what I think it is?" Subaru asked, looking around the fairly large room. Their travels through the underground had been mostly uneventful... until now.

Tea looked around at the half-finished stack of missiles and couple dozen launch tubes. "I think you're right. I'd say this was one of the missile launch centers. Given the number of launchers and the number of missiles that were fired at us before, there should be another one somewhere, probably the other side of the city."

"Then let's bust this place up and go find the other one!" Subaru offered cheerfully, pumping her right arm up and down.

As she spoke, another missile came off a conveyer belt and mechanical arms picked it up, placing it on the stack with the others. After doing so, everything shut down again.

"It appears to take time to construct these, or they aren't set on a high manufacturing priority," Tea said, taking an educated guess. "Whatever the case, I think destroying this place should be a good priority." She activated her twin dagger modes. "The warheads shouldn't be armed, but try not to destroy them; just cutting the warheads off should be good enough."

Subaru nodded as the two went to work disarming the missiles, wrecking the loading arms, and launching tubes.

x~~*~~x

Three brilliant beams fired, vaporizing the three large robots that had come through the wall. Voltaire roared, stomping out the other smaller robots, as Caro dissipated the whirlwind Adelinde was providing, going to check on Erio.

He groaned as she knelt next to him, lifting his head a bit into her lap. "Erio? Are you alright?"

His eyes flickered open. "I think so." He noticed where he was, the pink-haired girl looking down at him, and quickly sat up. "Um, thanks, Caro. Sorry for worrying you." He tried to stand up, and winced as his weight came down on his right leg.

"You're hurt!" she told him, draping his right arm across her shoulder to support him.

"I'll be alright, I think it's just a light sprain," he told her, then looked around at the devastation.

Every single piece of machinery and every robot was destroyed or flattened. Adelinde had landed near them, Fried was hovering nearby, and Voltaire was standing with arms crossed, awaiting further instruction. And then another type-3 came lumbering through the broken wall.

"Right, let's get out of here, but first I think there's one more part to this factory we should take care of," Caro replied, looking up at Voltaire.

He nodded and turned towards the firing robot, charging his magic blasters again.

x~~*~~x

"What do you mean, family!?" Fate demanded to know, recovering her senses. "You abandoned me! I did everything for you, yet you never even smiled at me!"

"And yet you still call me 'Mother'," Precia countered, relaxing back in her regal chair. "Don't you want to be part of a family?"

Fate brought Bardiche up, still in Zanber form. "After all you've done to me, to my friends, and what you're doing to the city... you expect me to be a part of your family?!"

Alicia skipped down the short set of steps, curiously walking up to Fate. "You don't want to be my big sister?"

The taller girl paused, kneeling down a bit. "It's... more complicated than that." She reached out her hand to pat the girl on the head, confirming it wasn't a hologram. There was a warmth there, too. [Could she actually be real?]

Alicia smiled, stepping close to hug Fate. "I've always wanted a sister, and mama has told me so much about you!"

Fate froze, feeling the warmth against her skin, and the breath against arm. [A sister....] The thought did make her warm inside. Her memories inside the Book of Darkness surfaced, where she had met her idolized form of Alicia. It was one of her most secret thoughts, her most hidden feelings; she had longed to meet the real Alicia, to experience what it was like to have a sister again. Almost unconsciously, her arms went around the smaller girl.

Then she froze, blinking in surprise at the translucent form in the darkness of a side doorway. From where she was, she was certain no one else could see it. She blinked to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, but confirmed that it looked like a second Alicia in the same dress. And there were tears running down her cheeks?

"And now we can be together forever and ever," the Alicia in her arms was saying, the tone in her voice changing ever-so-subtly.

Fate parted slightly from the girl, eyes widening in shock as she looked down. Alicia's smile had turned into an evil grin, to the tune of an increasing electrical whine.

In the next split second, she exploded.

x~~*~~x

Schach Nouera teleported behind a type-1 and turned around, slicing through it, jumping to the side as it exploded. Two type-2s suddenly loomed over her, but twin red swords emerged from the chest of one, while a bombardment of green energy blasts overwhelmed the other.

"Thanks, Deed and Otto!" the combat nun told them.

The cyborgs nodded, then Otto pointed, directing her attention to two large type-3's that emerged from around the corner of fairly large buildings. Schach popped another cartridge into Windelshaft and teleported under the shield of one via the ground underneath, slicing through the legs.

She escaped quickly as it collapsed, cursing that she was out of cartridges now and thus didn't have the burst of magic power needed to teleport. How was she going to destroy the second one? Otto was firing on it, but she knew it it would take a lot of firepower to get through that shield.

Sein sprung out of the ground, bounded off a hind leg and sprung into the belly of the beast. The type-3 beast paused, gears whining as it shook. The Deep Diver cyborg then fell out of the stomach and dove into the ground again, the large robot exploding a moment after.

"Nice work!" Schach complimented her when Sein emerged next to the Church Knight.

Sein gave her a V-sign, grinning. "Easy for me!"

"All units, this Colonel Najakima," came the voice over their communicators. "Requesting all aerial units to help rescue troops and civilians being kidnapped by enemy forces. They are being flown up to the enemy city above. Watch your fire, so you don't hit friendlies! Repeat, requesting all aerial forces to help with rescue operations, and to watch aerial fire so you don't hit friendlies!"

Otto and Deed came up to them, as they stared at each other. Each had the same thought: Why were the enemy forces now kidnapping people?

x~~*~~x

The airborne surfer hit her communicator. "Colonel Nakajima, this is Wendi. I delivered the package as you requested, and I have a few things for you. We're almost to the city, so don't worry; we'll save 'em!"

"Understood, and thank you, Wendi," Genya replied. "And convey my thanks to your guests as well."

Wendi looked back at the three flying behind her, giving the thumbs up.

"I can hear you just fine, Colonel," Quattro told him, smiling mischievously. "And it will be my pleasure to tinker with these interesting new robots. I haven't met a computer system yet that can withstand my Silver Curtain!"

"I'm, uh, glad I can help," Tre offered flatly, not looking completely comfortable with this. Although Wendi felt she just didn't know what to think at all, and thus was just going with the flow.

Sette just shrugged, but then she had always been one of the more quiet ones.

"You all have my sincerest thanks," Genya said. "Your sisters spoke very highly of you, and I'm glad you decided to help us out!"

The four cyborgs started gaining altitude, passing through the city shield. They split up and began attacking the retreating robots, helping to rescue the kidnapped victims.

x~~*~~x

Arf panted heavily, holding her injured side, having temporarily taken human form. The damaged robot had done a bit of self-repair and now had her hand back, but still no staff. However, she had also summoned a pair of type-2 robots to assist.

"Poor Arf," Precia mocked. "I remember our last confrontation. You didn't fair so well then, either. I told Fate several times she should have made a stronger familiar. Though I admit you've fought decently well; I've noticed some improvement. If my manufacturing facilities weren't currently in disrepair I could have summoned more automatons and this would have been over by now. But these two will be enough."

"Don't take me lightly," Arf growled. "I told Fate I could handle you, and I will."

Precia smiled. "Ah yes, my wayward tool. I regret to inform you that she's been defeated now. Perhaps if you had been a stronger familiar, you might have been able to vanquish me earlier and protect her. How pathetic."

Arf grew angrier, shifting back to wolf form. "You're lying."

"Am I?" Precia taunted. "Fate will serve me. If you serve me as well, and I will make you more a powerful familiar, so that you can truly protect Fate under my command."

"There are two things you have wrong," Arf informed her, readying her magical bolts. "Number one: I believe in Fate and she believes in me; she would never lose to you."

She fired off a barrage, charging in as the two type-2 units flew directly at her as well, firing back. Precia was adding more photon lancer projectiles into the mix as well, but Arf took what she could on her smaller, weakened Round Shield. Still, she was unable to stop some from grazing her.

She flipped over their melee swings as they clashed, then managed to snag all four of her claws on the bubble shield of the first robot before tearing into it tore into the first robot. Precia fired a larger purple beam at her, but Arf snagged the second with a pair of chains, and with a roar, swung it around into the path of the purple ray of light.

The beam hit the pair and exploded, but Arf charged out of the smoke at top speed, barreling through more quickly formed photon lancer shots. Precia's eyes widened in fear as she realized Arf wasn't stopping; the large orange wolf crashed into her, claws cutting across her arms, stomach and neck. Arf shifted to woman form as she cut through, grabbing Precia's head by the hair and pulling it away from the exploding body.

"And Number #2," Arf told the head, glaring, while some power remained in it. "I'm a Guardian Beast, not a familiar!"

Precia's mouth dropped open in surprise, then life left its eyes and it shut down. Arf let it slip from her fingers, watching it tumble back down to the city that had birthed it, then took off to find Fate.

x~~*~~x

The smoke cleared as Fate opened her eyes, staring in shock and awe at her hands. Alicia had just exploded right in front of her, and yet she was unharmed; although a green glow was slowly evaporating from her.

"Looks like we got here just in time," Yuuno stated, his hand outstretched, the same emerald glow fading from it.

"Yuuno!" Fate exclaimed, turning around. "And Nanoha!"

"We came as fast as we could, Fate-chan," Nanoha told her, smiling.

"Well, well, well, this almost calls for a reunion party," Precia told them, amused. "It seems you three have become a bit closer while I was away. We'll have to do something about that."

Fate turned back to her mother, raising Bardiche in an attack stance. "You used your own daughter as a bomb to kill me. Do you not have any shame left? Is there really nothing of the mother left in there, that my old Alicia memories tell me about?" Her face hardened. "And you promised to tell me why you are doing this."

Precia stood, bringing out her staff. "If you want to know, you'll have to beat me." She smiled evilly. "Of course you realize, if you do kill me, you won't have anymore family left."

"Fate already has family," Nanoha told her, coming up to stand on Fate's left, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Yuuno mirrored that action, but on Fate's left. "She has us. Family is not just about blood, but about being with those you care for, and who care in return."

Fate looked left and right, touched. "Nanoha... Yuuno..." She nodded in determination. "That's right. I've found a new family. You will always be my mother, and I do want to help you. But I can't do that as long as you are endangering my other family and friends, and all the people below. For their sake, I have to stop you."

Yuuno stepped back bringing his hands together. "I'll take care of defense. You two concentrate on attacking."

Nanoha assumed a combat-ready stance, but glanced partially over her shoulder, smiling. "Yeah, just like always, right?"

Fate smiled and nodded, getting ready as well, speaking over her shoulder. "That's why I can fight; because I have such precious friends watching my back."

"Sonic form," Bardiche intoned, shifting Fate's barrier jacket, then switching to Riot Zanber mode.

Yuuno nodded back at them, then all three focused on the two Precia's, who had raised their staves and were gathering energy.

Miyuki reached out with her hands, telekinetically holding four type-2 drones that were each holding two people. Kyoya sliced through the arms of all four, and she switched her grip to gently lowering the eight people to the ground. Vivio followed up by smashing the robots, having rescued the Nanoha-doll girl earlier.

"This is Captain Ulrich again," the man next to them said, pulling his axe from a fallen type-2 robot. "Belay that backup request. I think we are getting the situation in hand now...."

A red-headed woman pulled her claws from the back of a type-1 robot and kicked it away before it exploded. "I think they're doing a better job than you are, Captain."

"Shut up, Vespy, and get back to work," Johannes told her. "This isn't over yet."

Vivio looked up; was it her imagination, or was the city rising higher?

x~~*~~x

The room was fairly huge, so there was plenty of room to maneuver. And the random blasts taking out portions of the walls and ceilings, threatened to make it even larger... if it didn't collapse on them first.

Nanoha rebounded off a wall, throwing another wave of Axel Shooter orbs at the pair of Precia's, having lost track of which was the robot and which was real. They both leapt away, frighteningly and expertly in-sync with each other. They covered for each other, as if one mind controlled both bodies. Given the situation, that was very likely the case. Although these seemed much more agile and in-sync than the ones she fought earlier; she supposed it was because Precia was right here this time, and the robot was one of the later models programmed against Nanoha.

One of the Precia's let loose dozens of photon lancer shots at her. She managed to dodge a few in the air, and the rest were blocked by shields Yuuno was putting up. Nanoha nodded at him once as thanks, charging up Raging Heart and activating Blaster 1. She wouldn't know which target she'd be able to hit when the time came, but she wanted to make sure she hit it with enough power.

Fate flew in to strike at the other Precia, trying to keep them both moving. The one she was fighting, seemed to actually be a decent melee fighter, as she parried the strikes partly with her staff, and partly with her barrier. She struck the ground with the bottom of her staff as her magic circle flared, purple lightning shooting upwards all around her. Fate quickly got out of the way, attacking the second one, managing to graze her arm and leaving a bloody mark. Then she radiated lightning energy in a full circle, forcing Fate away, as Yuuno did his best to protect her.

"You're becoming quite annoying, young man," one of the Precia's said. "Claustrum, Lightning Void!"

Yuuno covered himself with a barrier as a giant lightning bolt hit him, the sheer pressure pushing him down into the ground. Nanoha took the opportunity to fire a Divine Buster at the caster, but the second Precia flew in front and blocked it with a shield. She glanced back at Yuuno's surprised cry, as a hole had opened up beneath him and he was beginning to fall down, the force of the lightning bolt pushing him down against his barrier.

Fate hit the shielding Precia with a Lightning Bind, then flew over and used her own shield to deflect part of the huge lightning bolt, relieving enough pressure on Yuuno for him to fly out.

"Blaster 2!" Nanoha called, increasing her beam strength and summoning two of her bits. "Restrict lock!"

Her prepared bind spell tied up the second Precia, stopping the lightning void spell. But the first one fired at the ceiling with her shield still up, dislodging more chunks to rain down on Nanoha and the others, who was forced to cancel her Buster attack. The second one burst free of the lock spell, and the two of them pointed their staves.

"Photon Lancer: Genocide shift," they said as one, as a multitude of purple spots appeared in front of them. In the next instant, thousands of bolts came flying their way, filling almost the entire room.

x~~*~~x

"Chief Mizetto, look out!" Hayate called, her own barrier taking fire from a couple of type-3s.

The elderly mage had surprised Hayate with her vigor, being able to keep up quite well. But she was starting to show her age. Her barrier seemed weaker now, as she blocked her fire from her own type-3.

The two had made their way to the south part of the city, as the majority of the type-3s seemed to be congregating there, along with other forces. It seemed the type-1 and type-2 robot forces had begun drying up; less were coming down, and others were retreating trying to take people up for some reason. She could only assume the strike team was responsible somehow for the former, but she had no clue for the latter. However, because of that, the remaining forces were pushing hard on the eastern front to take shelters; already, several had been broken into.

But first she needed to deal with these two, as she flew up higher, flipping pages. "Approach from the beyond, mistletoe branches, and become spears of the Silver moon! Pierce it! Stone spears, Misteltein!"

The rain of gray lances fell upon the two type-3's, petrifying their shields, which were then shattered by ground fire. While she directed the ground troops to fire at one target, she wound up another spell.

"Resound, Horn of Judgment!" she chanted, pointing her staff. "Ragnarok!"

The blast of blue fire annihilated the second type-3, but as she dove back down, she noted that nearly a dozen more type-3s were closing in on the shelters, and Mizetto was desperately trying to hold them off, using run and cast tactics. But even that wouldn't be enough; there were too few forces, and the shelters would soon be under direct attack.

"[Buy me time, would you?]" came the old mage's telepathic message. "[I have an idea. Oh, and have the other forces withdraw for the moment.]"

Hayate didn't know what it was, but she began to cast more Misteltein spells as the type-3s seem to focus on Mizetto. She managed to fly between them, keeping low to the ground . Then a near shot sent her tumbling along the fractured terrain. Hayate's heart leapt into her throat, and she dropped down to provide cover. But suddenly there was another mage there, providing a barrier to protect the old woman.

"General Ralgo Kiil!" Hayate gasped, recognizing the honorary General of the Armed Forces. "What are you doing here!?"

"I couldn't let this old bag do this all by her self," he told her, straining as more and more of the type-3s turned their firepower on him. "She's starting to make me look bad. And I'm better at barriers than she is!"

"Old bag?" Mizetto questioned, pulling herself to her feet. "Looks who's talking. You're older than I am."

"Only by 5 years!" he shot back.

Mizetto began gathering magic, while she looked up at Hayate. "You may want to get some distance, this will be rather destructive."

Hayate nodded and as she flew away to give them some long-distance support.

"Rather destructive?" Ralgo questioned, straining under the beam attacks as the type-3s came closer. "It's going to be a bit more than that."

"Then you know what I'm going to do," she said simply, then switched to a softer tone. "You can still make it out of here, you know."

"You'd never get that spell off without me," he replied, wincing. "But you could hurry; these things pack quite a punch." He smiled. "It's been fun."

She gave him a soft smile in return, then felt the magic charge reach its peak. "All ye who practice evil, return to the soil and be buried! Abyssal Quake!" She jammed her staff into the ground, and as it began to shake, she sent one last telepathic message. "[I'm sorry, I guess I won't be able to tell you about Precia after all. But you might ask Leone about it.]"

The entire area around the mage couple sank into the ground, pulling the type-3s down into the pit.

x~~*~~x

Hayate stared in shock at the immense cratered hole and the last telepathic message she received. Mizetto had created an enormous sinkhole that expanded and swallowed up all the remaining type-3s. In one moment, she had protected the shelters and turned the tide of combat on this side.

But that didn't stop the tears beginning to leak out from the eyes of the SS rank mage.

x~~*~~x

The barrage ended, and Yuuno lowered the large Round Shield he had erected to cover half the room. He had protected both of the women, but the effort left him temporarily weakened and gasping for breath.

But Nanoha had finished charging, and maneuvered her blaster bits into position. "DIVINE BUSTER!" Five large beams from her full Blaster 3 system converged on the pair of Precia mages.

Both threw up their barriers as the barrage hit, but it didn't take long for the one in front to fail. It's barrier shattered and it slowly vaporized in the stream, skin peeling off first to reveal the robot underneath, and then that dissolved, too.

The attack died off in a great explosion, while Nanoha dropped to one knee afterward, panting heavily and using Raging Heart for support. She had gotten rid of one, but the other seem to still be okay, although her clothes were torn in several spots.

Precia glared at them in anger and surprise, as if she couldn't believe what kind of power she had just been hit with. "I'm impressed, but that seems to be most of what you have. It's over now."

"Sonic Move," Bardiche chirped as Fate darted in.

Precia managed to block the twin sword strikes with her staff, but it cracked under the pressure and sent her flying backwards. As she hit the wall, she pointed her staff out and whispered, "Lightning Wall."

A full circle of purple lightning energy shot up from the ground in front of her, and Fate couldn't stop in time. She hit the barrier and was stopped, screaming as the charge went through her body. Eventually she was tossed backwards across the room like a rag doll.

Nanoha pulled herself to her feet, but she had been using a lot of magic today already, and was nearly at her limit; she couldn't find much strength remaining. Then she felt Yuuno's hands on her shoulders, sending his healing energies through her. She hoped she could get enough strength back soon.

Precia pulled herself out of the wall, coughing up blood. "You're rather... resilient... for insects. But it's time to end this." She stretched out her staff at Nanoha and Yuuno, while opening her left hand at the fallen form of Fate. "You're a good barrier-mage, boy, but you don't seem to have much left, and I doubt you can save them both."

Yuuno's eyes widened as he realized the truth behind those words. He doubted he had enough power left after that double genocide attack to shield all of them sufficiently. And he could sense that Nanoha wouldn't be able to put up much of a barrier at the moment, either.

"[It's... okay,]" came the mental words. "[Protect.... Nanoha.]"

In the next instant, Precia fired, twin beams of purple magical power streaking towards both targets. Yuuno closed his eyes and trusted her words, putting the rest of his power into a barrier protecting him and Nanoha.

Fate grasped Bardiche tightly and performed one more sonic move, dodging the attack and bringing both Riot Zanber blades together.

"Jet Zanber!" she cried as she swung, the sword elongating and breaking Precia's staff as her opponent attempted to block, slamming the elder mage back into a wall again. Afterwards, she dropped to one knee, feeling weak, her body not completely over her encounter with the lightning wall.

Nanoha and Yuuno went to help Fate up, and the three of them made their way over to Precia. Each stared in surprise at what they found. The fallen mage was bleeding, but parts of her arms were torn, revealing mechanical components within.

"A cyborg?" Yuuno questioned in bewilderment.

The caretaker Alicia-program appeared beside them. "This was the physical body of the main aspect currently in control."

"Alicia!?" Fate asked in surprise.

"She's actually a manifestation of the city's computer, just taking the form of Alicia as a way to interact with us," Yuuno explained.

Fate didn't know what to think about that; was this the Alicia that had been appearing to her? It didn't seem like it, since that one clearly displayed emotions, while this one was expressionless. She shook her head, focusing on the cyborg woman in front of them.

"Then, was she my mother or not?" Fate questioned, her emotions running high, as the floor behind the throne rippled and a trap door was revealed.

The Precia cyborg turned her head, still breathing. "Your mother... and your answers... are down there. But... you may not like.. what you find." She swallowed. "But... none of you... will leave here... alive. This body... is useless and... will now shut down." Her eyes closed.

Fate swallowed. Even if it wasn't her mother, watching her die again hit her more powerfully than she would have thought. She knew her attack didn't hit hard enough to kill her, but whatever the thing that wore her mother's face was, had shut down regardless due to the damage. Her head came up again after a moment, and she pulled away from Yuuno, heading for the trap door with determination on her face.

She wanted truth and explanations, and she felt very strongly that she would find it down there. She had come this far, and there was only a little farther left to go.

The other two quickly followed her and they descended the stairs, finding a darkened room at the bottom. From what little light they had spilling in through the now opened door, they could make out some machinery not too far in, with six large pods attached. Fate inhaled sharply as the group approached.

In the middle two, were the bodies of Precia and Alicia Testarossa.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

I wanted to give Arf her rematch from the first season; I figure she could use the chance to redeem herself... or her predecessor's self, depending on how you want to view it. I think it was my favorite part of this chapter, and between her and the Vivio/Kyoya/Miyuki parts, bets exemplifies the chapter title.

As for my rewrite note, I changed the color of Precia's attacks from gold to purple. For some reason, on my first write-through, I thought they might be gold to match Fate's. But watching the first season again, her attacks were clearly purple.

Shout outs and thanks to Nijiru for the use of Johannes Ulrich, and OZ7UP for the use of Vespy. Always like to return a little something for my fans.^^


	25. To Reach for Tomorrow

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 25: To Reach for Tomorrow**

Xx~~*~~xX

"What's going on?" Fate asked, looking at the body of her mother and sister in the pods.

"They are part of the central aspect," the holographic program who looked just like Alicia, revealed.

Yuuno had accessed a computer, and was pulling up information. "Apparently, the main experiment of Alhazard was to create a large, advanced AI, designed to absorb the psyche, memories, emotions, and personalities of people. They hoped by combining the experiences of as many people as possible, the AI would become truly super-intelligent, and gain the secret to ascending. Sort of a big supercomputer to hold all the knowledge of the universe. It looks like they felt that the secret was just having enough information."

"Ascending?" Nanoha questioned, confused.

"Some cultures believe that a person can reach a state of being where they shed their physical body and become pure energy," Yuuno explained. "Such a being would be almost god-like, which is what the ancients who built this place, were hoping for.

He looked up at them. "In my initial studies in the library, I learned that the ancients had managed to greatly extend their lives and greatly lower their death rate. But their birth rate had also dropped to near zero, although I'm unclear why. Still, it troubled a certain faction of the ancients, whose technology had gone almost as far as they felt it could. In order to survive as a species, they felt they needed to push to another level of evolution."

"That is correct, Yuuno Scrya," Alicia added. "Another faction of the ancients, as you call them, were against that plan; feeling that it was unnatural to push evolution that way. Shortly after this city was created, that faction sought to destroy it, but the head scientists on the project managed to save it at the last moment by hiding it between dimensions. They planned to retrieve it later, but never did. Because very few found their way here since then, the central aspect searched for ways to free itself and acquire subjects. Then these two arrived and a deal was struck. The central aspect would give her a virtual reality where she could live out her life with a facsimile of the deceased biological entity, in exchange for helping the central aspect return to normal dimensional space."

A thought struck Nanoha. "Why do you keep calling it a central aspect?"

"It is the first, and main, section of the AI system," Alicia explained. "I am another aspect, created to oversee the Alhazard Library of Information. I assist knowledge-seekers who come, and then lead them here to share their thoughts with the main aspect. There are various other aspects, as well."

"Then why was it my mother, Precia, who appeared before us and attacked Mid-Childa?" Fate wondered aloud.

Alicia waved her hand and several holographic screens appeared, showcasing brain scans. "There was an anomaly within the being known as Precia Testarossa. A part of her mental state was unlike anything the central aspect had encountered. It rapidly took control of main functions, and manifested itself in the visage of your mother."

"I think I see what went on," Yuuno said, bringing up more screens and studying the information. "I'm not an expert in brain chemistry, but the conclusions shown here indicated that Precia had two personalities; or probably more accurately, a split personality. The descriptions of her behavior would seem to signify that one of them was sociopathic. Her current mental health readings are listed as normal, which means that other sociopathic part of her mind split from her and infected the AI system. I would guess that it was somewhat like how the Tome of the Night Sky was corrupted into the Book of Darkness."

"Part of my mother's mind infected the system?" Fate questioned, glancing over at Precia and Alicia in the pods again. The memories from the original Alicia Fate had been implanted with, showed her one side of her mother, while her own memories showed another side; could they really be split personalities? "They are in a virtual reality, you said? Can you bring them out?"

"The being known as Alicia Testarossa was already dead," Alicia told her. "Her mind was scanned and, when combined with the memories of Precia Testarossa, a virtual copy was created. Precia's own body was on the verge of death when she arrived, and is now dependent upon the life-support the pod provides. Her mind and body have been fully integrated with the machine, and thus she cannot be woken or removed without death."

Fate walked over to her mother's pod, of which mainly only her face and shoulders were visible, but there were wires and tubes coming out from below. "Can you hook me into her virtual reality without all this extra stuff?"

Nanoha looked up, concerned. "Fate-chan...."

"I'm not sure that is a good idea, Fate," Yuuno added.

"I have to talk to my mother," she told them, not looking up. "A few times now, I saw Alicia as a hologram, and not the version we see now. She kept telling me that she wanted to meet me. I think this is it."

"That is possible," Alicia stated. "The virtual reality environment is set within the central aspect. A program could reach out from there, but I do not have access to the details." She moved over to the machine and opened a particular compartment, revealing a headband. "If you wear this, you can enter the virtual reality. To exit, one would just need to concentrate on an interface in the virtual world and indicate that you wished to sever the connection. Or your friends could simply remove the headband."

Fate picked up the technological circlet and sat down in an empty pod, stopping for a moment to look at Nanoha and Yuuno who had come up on either side of her. "I know what I'm doing. I shouldn't be in too long, but I have to do this. I have to know who my mother really was."

Nanoha nodded in understanding, while Yuuno told her, "We'll be right out here monitoring. I'll pull you out if anything looks bad."

Fate smiled at him, then put on the headband and laid back, closing her eyes.

x~~*~~x

"[Hello, is anyone there?]" came Teana's telepathic voice.

"[Teana!]" Nanoha exclaimed, then looked up at Yuuno. "The telepathic communications block must have been cleared when that fake Precia shut down."

"[We just smashed up a missile bay]" Subaru told them proudly. "[But there's something else; the city is rising back into space! We won't be able to fly down at this height, and we just checked the shuttle; it's been destroyed!]"

Yuuno went back to the computer and looked up information. "Yes, the city is rising, slowly. We're apparently high enough already that the oxygen would be too thin to breathe; only the city's shield is keeping enough atmosphere in. I'm also detecting the missile firing systems coming online. One of the missile bays is down, but there is still one more. Those two aren't too far away from it."

"The anomalous aspect is still in control inside the central AI," Alicia told them. "I am still locked out of primary systems, which include the weapons."

"Yuuno-kun, send them the location," Nanoha ordered. "[Teana, Subaru, we're sending the coordinates of the other missile bay. Please destroy it before it can fire. We'll handle the city matters from here.]"

"[We're on it!]" Teana replied.

"[We're here, too!]" Caro sent. "[We just destroyed a robot factory. Where should we go now?]"

Yuuno opened up more status windows. "I'd suggest they take out the energy weapon systems located along the perimeter. The system seems to be prioritizing readying the weapons over self-repair. Already, it's begun firing the energy weapons at Clanagan's magic barrier."

Nanoha nodded and relayed that information. "[Once you have all accomplished your tasks, meet up in the central building.]" Once that was acknowledged, Nanoha added, "Now we need a way to stop this city for good."

"I wish Shari or Suzuka were here," Yuuno said, tapping away at the holographic keyboard. "I'm not a computer expert. I can mostly read the language now, thanks to Alicia, but I have no idea how to gain control of anything. And I can't teleport us out past the shield."

Yuuno sighed and looked up at Nanoha, both understanding that, for the moment, they were trapped.

x~~*~~x

It looked much like real life, she decided. And very much like the island retreat she had seen when she was in the Book of Darkness. Then again, that was based off her real memories of a place she had lived in her earlier years.

A child's laugh drew Fate's attention down the grassy slope, where a familiar woman sat, watching a young girl around the age of 7 or 8 play. For a moment, it felt like a dream, as she hadn't seen her mother looking like that for many years. She was even smiling and laughing!

Fate sighed, knowing she still had something to do, and thus stepped off the stone path and started down the green slope. Halfway down, Precia noticed her approach and her smile faded. Then her surprise seemed to turn to understanding; or was it merely resignation? Alicia noticed the change in her mother's face, and turned to look the same way. Her face lit up at seeing Fate, and she starting running her way, laughing and giggling.

Fate stopped, experiencing a flashback of a previous Alicia who had come towards her; a living bomb. But this wasn't real; it was a virtual reality. Could anything here actually harm her? She didn't think so.

"You came!" the little girl cheered, stopping at Fate's feet and smiling up at her. "Mama told me all about you, so I had just had to meet my big sister!" She paused. "You are my big sister, aren't you?"

Fate couldn't help smiling, and knelt down to her level. "I suppose I am, in a way." She reached out and ruffled the girl's hair.

"I had a feeling you would come sooner or later," Precia stated, coming up behind Alicia. Her face was carefully expressionless.

Fate stood up, keeping her face equally neutral, despite the whirlwind of emotions flooding through her. "Hello, mother. It's been awhile. I see you've found what you were looking for."

Alicia looked up. "Mama?"

Precia looked down and smiled. "Alicia, honey, I need to speak with your sister alone for a bit. Can you run along for now? You can play with her later, okay?"

"Awww, okay," Alicia accepted grudgingly. She gave Fate a big smile, then ran off down the grass slope.

"So you were expecting me to show up?" Fate questioned, studying her mother's face. There was none of the anger or ruthlessness that she remembered from the later days of her life.

Precia turned a bit, watching Alicia. "I wasn't sure, but I felt there might be a chance you would pursue me here." She paused, suddenly hesitant. "Have you come to take revenge and end my dream?"

"Don't you know what has been going on?" Fate asked. "Alhazard has been attacking Mid-Childa. Many people are being hurt."

Precia turned toward her, and Fate could swear the surprise was genuine. "I didn't think that was a possibility. The travel through dimensions was painful. My body, already damaged, was broken badly when I awoke here. Alicia's capsule had been shattered. Then the central computer found me and preserved my life, mending me. But it couldn't revive Alicia, so it scanned her mind and created this based on her personality. It was the best I could hope for. In return, my deal with it was to help it return to normal space."

Fate was struck by the note of sadness in her mother's voice. "So you know this isn't real?"

Precia rubbed her eye on her sleeve. "Yes. But it's close enough. It's all I have." She turned to stare pleadingly at Fate, her eyes beginning to leak more. "Please don't take it away from me! I'm sorry for what I did to you. I know I was a horrible mother to you, and you probably can't ever forgive me. But please, don't take away Alicia!"

Fate wasn't expecting this; anger, more cruelty, fierceness, but not this pleading, sad woman. "Who is Alicia's father?"

"Her what?" Precia repeated, clearly not expecting that question. "Why are you asking me that?"

"Who is Alicia's father?" Fate repeated, a bit more demanding. "You never told me who my father was, but now that I know I'm a clone, I want to know who Alicia's father is."

Precia looked away. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you that."

"Why?" Fate asked, feeling exasperated. Would she get no answer to this, even after having traveled all this way?

"It was a promise I made to him," she replied simply. "In exchange for helping him, he gave me a daughter. Even after all I've done, I've never broken that promise, and I want it to be one of few things in my life I can hold true to. I don't expect you to understand. I hadn't even planned on telling Alicia that."

Fate took a deep breath. "Is it... Jail Scaglietti?"

Precia remained silent.

"Damn it, mother!" Fate nearly shouted at her. "I should hate you! Everyone would probably tell me it was okay to. You were hardly a real mother to me, you abandoned me for Alicia, you won't tell me who my father is, and now your city is attacking the new home I made for myself!" She took a deep breath. "Yet, even despite all that, you're my mother, and... all I've ever wanted was to make you happy. To get a smile and be told I was a good girl." Her own eyes began to water; this virtual reality was quite advanced.

Precia turned to stare at her, then took a hesitant step forward and held out her arms. Fate embraced her, hugging and being held tight for several long moments.

"I'm so sorry, Fate," Precia whispered. "My anger and pain blinded me for the longest time. But ever since I've been here, it's like all of that is gone. You were always a good girl, and I'm sorry I never valued you for who you were, instead of a who you weren't. If... if you want, you can stay here with me, and allow me a second chance to be a proper mother to you?"

Fate sighed and pulled back, knowing there was other business to attend to, and time was short. "I'm sorry, I can't. Mother, did you know you had a split personality disorder?"

Precia stared at her, slack-jawed.

x~~*~~x

The number of robots gradually dwindled to nothing. The city had stopped dropping them, and now looked very small as it slowly rose into the upper atmosphere. In moments, it would leave it entirely.

Vivio stared at it. "My mamas are up there, I just know it!" She hadn't heard them at all in the communications or telepathic channels, but had heard of a team that had infiltrated it earlier. She turned toward Miyuki. "Can you teleport me up there?"

The short white-haired woman considering it, looking up. "I think so."

"Wait, are you crazy?" Kyoya asked in disbelief. "We just got done protecting the shelters. That's all we need to do."

Miyuki turned her glare on him again. "That's all, hmm? We can't take a girl to see her mother, can we?"

He sighed and threw up his hands. "Fine, we might as well all go."

She nodded in satisfaction, activating her magic. "That's better. Vivio, come stand close to me and think of your mother. I'll try to take us right to her."

Her pentagram began to spin, then her eyes went semi-blank as she looked up, noting the two visible moons on either side of the distant floating city. White light enveloped them all.

x~~*~~x

"Wait, is there more back here?" Nanoha said, going around the machine and gazing into the darkness beyond.

Arf looked up from her vigil on Fate, having just arrived a short time ago and been brought up to speed. Yuuno was helping to heal her wounds.

Alicia turned on the lights to the rest of the chamber. "Yes, more minds were recently added to the central aspect."

Nanoha gazed out at the large chamber, filled with many more pods, a large central pillar in the center of the room. The middle of the pillar held a large oval-shaped transparent bubble, and within, a green-tinged mass that almost looked like a big brain.

She pointed. "Is that...?"

"The central aspect," Alicia confirmed. "The source of the artificial intelligence for the city."

"So if we destroy that...," Yuuno started to say.

"I would vanish as well, and all city systems would shut down, including the shield holding the atmosphere in," Alicia answered for him. "There's also a chance the core could overload."

The archeologist backtracked from that idea. "Right, we'll keep that as Plan C."

Nanoha stepped down the stairs and began to examine them all, recognizing the uniforms. "There are Bureau personnel in these pods!"

"They were teleported aboard from the damaged ships before they exploded," Alicia explained. "The central aspect desired more minds to complete it's programmed task. There was an attempt to procure more from the surface below, but that seems to have failed. You can still add your own knowledge and experience if you wish."

Yuuno shook his head as he finished healing Arf's major wounds. "I'm sorry, Alicia, but we humans tend to value our individuality and freedom. I'd be glad to talk and share knowledge, but only after this is over. And not hooked up to a machine."

"Humans are very strange," she noted.

"Yuuno-kun!" Nanoha called in surprise, looking up to meet his gaze from where he now stood at the top of the steps. "I found Lucino!"

x~~*~~x

"W-what do you mean?" Precia asked, a hint of fear in her eyes as she backed up a step.

"The city has analyzed your brain," Fate told her. "You were suffering from split personality disorder. That other part of your mind has taken control of the city."

"P-please s-stop...." the older woman pleaded, looking genuinely terrified now.

"Mother, you can stop this," Fate told her. "If you really want a second chance to be my mother, then please, stop the city. Take control."

"You don't know what you're asking!" the frightened Precia stated. "I just want to be left alone here! Destroy the city if you must, but please, don't ask anymore!"

Fate held out her hand. "I told you once that I am your daughter, and that I would protect you from anything because of that. That promise still stands. Please, mother, help me to do this."

Her face dropped, her shoulders shaking for a moment, but eventually they grew still. "Don't make me laugh."

The voice had changed, Fate noted. "I take it you are the other personality."

Precia's head came back up, a sinister look on her face. "That would be correct, you miserable failure. Everything was fine until you came along. I was the one who kept Precia together when she lost her daughter. I was the one who gave her the strength to keep going. And I was the one who finally got her here, to have some semblance of happiness with her daughter. What right do you have to come here and interrupt all of that?"

"The same right you took when you attacked my home!" Fate shot back. "Relinquish control of Alhazard."

She barked a laugh as the scenery suddenly became dark and stormy. "Ha! As if I'd do that. This city represents real power. The power to protect Alicia. And if the experiment is completed by adding the experiences from billions of humans, I would become a goddess and really revive Alicia. I'll have my revenge by adding all the humans in Mid-Childa and the Bureau to it. You may be taking out my weapons for now, but I can self-heal. I'll repair myself and come back to finish what I started!"

Fate brought out Bardiche in Zanbar form. "Not if I stop you here."

"You'd really strike at your own mother?" Precia taunted. "The one you just hugged? And make no mistake; our minds are linked. You destroy me here, and you'll destroy her as well."

Fate's golden magic circle flared to life as she waved her enlarged sword from right to left. "Hurricane Thunderclap."

Precia took a step back as purple lightning began strike around the area. "If you're so bent on your own destruction, allow me to give it to you. I'm not so helpless here!" She grew in size and grabbed Fate, squeezing with her hands. "I've had years to master this reality."

Fate could actually feel herself being squeezed. "Mother... I know you're in there... urgh! Is... Is this what you really want? A fake life?" A near-voiceless scream escaped her lips as the pressure increased.

"What do you know?" Precia spat. "What is real? Isn't it our thoughts and feelings? The pursuit of what makes us happy, that determines our life?"

"What... is a life... without someone real to share it with?" Fate managed to retort. "My mother... spent her life... trying to make a life with Alicia. She may not have that but... she has me! I am real... and together, we have Alicia... in our memories!"

The pressure stopped as Precia paused, and then slowly the hands let up. "What are you doing!? Stop it, or she'll destroy us! We can have Alicia if we just get rid of her!"

The face seemed to shift a bit, the anger draining away. "But she's right... I've been hiding in here too long. I stopped living a long time ago. I may never get Alicia back... but I can save the one I have left! Fate, strike now!"

"Mother!" Fate called, hesitating, tears beginning to leak from her eyes. The moment she had suspected might come, had finally arrived. But now she didn't know if she could actually follow through; she didn't think she'd actually be feeling this way.

"Do it!" Precia yelled. "I can't hold her forever. This is something... I can do as your mother! Please!"

"Mother..." Precia's daughter whispered, then nodded, tears running down her face. She raised her sword high and swung. "Sprite Zanber!"

The entire virtual reality around them shattered into hundreds of pieces, leaving only a black void. Her mother convulsed, trying to resist as the cracks spread along her body and she began to dissolve.

"I'll still... have my revenge!" she snarled. "You'll die here!"

The figure finally vanished and Fate closed her eyes against the pain; white light consumed her.

x~~*~~x

"Are you alright?" Nanoha asked, raising the girl from the pod.

"I-I'm fine, I think," Lucino told her.

All around them, stood the several dozen members of the TSAB, whom Nanoha and Yuuno had been waking. Teana, Subaru, Erio, and Caro had also arrived, having finished their tasks. Alhazard couldn't threaten anyone for the moment.

All of a sudden, red lights started to flash and an alarm sounded.

"Alicia, what's going on?" Yuuno asked, running back up to the computer station.

"The self-destruct has been activated," she intoned. "I am still unable to access those systems. Five minutes until the core overloads with exotic particles."

"Sounds like we need to get out of here!" Subaru stated the obvious. "Anyone got a plan?"

Arf looked down nervously at Fate, as the room suddenly flashed white. When it faded, three more people were present.

"We made it!" Vivio shouted in glee while looking around.

"Vivio!?" Nanoha said in disbelief, running up to her with Lucino, as the rest of the TSAB personnel gathered around. "What are you doing here!?"

She smiled. "Miyuki teleported us up. She's a nice person!"

Nanoha recognized the two other people, feeling the same twinge of familiarity, as if she was looking at her brother and sister. "You two.... wait, if you teleported up, past the shield, can you teleport everyone down? This city is about to explode!"

Miyuki took a glance around the room, and swallowed. "I-I think so, I'm not sure. I've never teleported so many. But I think I can make a few trips." She gathered the first group and activated her magic, disappearing with them in a flash, and then reappearing alone after 30 seconds. "Okay, I can do this. Let me grab most everyone else now."

Kyoya stepped up to steady her, as she appeared a bit woozy. Strange looks appeared on both their faces as he did so.

"I think we have another problem," Yuuno told them, after going through several screens. "Alicia, am I reading this right? Can you tell me the blast radius we can expect?"

"Everything within approximately 2 million kilometers will be vaporized," Alicia intoned, then tilted her head. "There has been a disruption. The anomalous aspect is gone. I am beginning to regain control of the system."

"Fate!" Arf exclaimed as the girl woke up. "Are you alright?"

The golden-haired woman rubbed her eyes. "I'll tell you later. We need to get out of here. What's going on?"

"The city is going to explode!" Arf told her, helping her out of the pod.

"2 million kilometers!?" Teana spouted in disbelief. "Wait, at this distance, that will take out Mid-childa and its moons!"

"Can you stop it, Alicia?" Nanoha asked.

"Processing..." Alicia responded, her eyes flickering, then shook her head. "I am sorry, the core overload has already passed the fail-safe point."

There was a another flash as Miyuki had gathered the rest of the TSAB personnel, including Lucino, and teleported them down.

"Can you take the city far enough away?" Yuuno inquired, glancing nervously as the timer hit 3 minutes.

"I am truly sorry, Yuuna Scrya," Alicia told him. "Alhazard wasn't meant for space travel; it is unable to accelerate very fast, and thus unable to reach a safe minimum distance. I cannot think of a way to save your planet. I regret this, Yuuno Scrya, as I had wished to get to know you better."

Miyuki appeared again, catching her breath. "I think I have a way to save Mid-childa. I can teleport the city far enough away if I draw some magic off the moons. After I take you guys down, I'll do it."

"You can do that?" Caro asked in awe.

"There's something she's not telling you," Kyoya told them. "It would be a one-way trip."

"Miyuki-chan?" Nanoha questioned, distressed at the thought of losing someone who looked so much like her sister, except for the white hair. "You can't get back?"

She shook her head. "It will take me a few jumps, so I won't be able to come back." Her face softened as she noted Nanoha's face. "It's okay, I can already sense it. My life wouldn't have lasted too much longer anyway. At least this way, I can do something to repay you for what you've done for me."

Tears appeared in Nanoha's eyes, as she jumped forward and hugged the other woman. Miyuki looked up, nodding and gesturing for everyone else to come closer.

"Wait," Yuuno said. "Alicia, is there a way you can come with us? Can you download yourself into something we can carry?"

"There is too much information in my data banks," she replied. "I could not take it all."

"I'm not talking about the combined knowledge of Alhazard, just you," he told her, then quickly added: "And Alicia's memories and personality data, too, if you can. If you truly want to understand humans, you'll need it."

Fate looked at him in surprise, eyes wavering. "Yuuno...."

"That should be possible, one moment," Alicia responded, her entire body flickering as things were processed. Something slid out of the computer. "I've transferred my data to that crystal. I added a few data files from the archive as well."

Yuuno plucked the blue dodecahedron jewel from the slot and joined the others. Miyuki started her teleport. There was a flash of white light again, and everyone discovered that they were back in Clanagan, but in the abandoned outskirts of ruined buildings. Nanoha found herself unable to let go of the woman, even though she knew logically that this Miyuki wasn't her sister.

Kyoya put a hand on her shoulder. "I know how you feel. I wouldn't want her to do this, either. But she can be pretty stubborn about this." He smiled ruefully. "But I'll be with her."

Nanoha looked up, tears in her eyes. "Kyoya...? You're going too? Why?"

He nodded, glancing at the white-haired woman. "You felt it, too. I transferred some of my magic to you after that first teleport. I can help you do those last few transfers."

The TSAB ace hugged him as well, her face wet. "I haven't even gotten to know you two very well!"

"Hey, we did know that our lives would be short," he told her softly, patting her shoulders. "At least this way they'll mean something. Just promise me something."

She looked up at him. "Of course, anything."

"Promise me that you'll take care of your real brother and sister for us," he replied. "I would have liked to meet them, but I suppose it would have been awkward, heh." He laughed.

"It's time," Miyuki said. "We need to go now in order to get the city far enough away in time."

Nanoha put an arm around them both, unwilling to let go. Fate and Yuuno came up on either side of her, nodding to each other as they pulled her away. She resisted a bit, but they held her tight as Kyoya took Miyuki's hand and she activated her magic.

"Goodbye, and thank you..." they both said as they vanished.

Nanoha tried to reach out to them, then turned back to Fate and Yuuno as they both hugged her.

"Nanoha, Fate, Yuuno!" Hayate called, landing next to them, along with the rest of the Wolkenritter. "You guys are alright! What happened? We received reports of people being teleported here. Lucino is back and told me the city was about to explode!"

"It's... being taken care of," Yuuno told her.

Alicia appeared next to them, announcing a countdown. All of them looked to the sky as she reached zero, but nothing happened.

"I thought we'd be able to see the explosion," Fate stated.

"Due to the limitations of the speed of light, we won't see anything for approximately 7 seconds," Alicia told them.

She was close. 10 seconds after the count reached zero, there was a bright flash in the sky as if a new star had been born... or had just gone nova.

Alhazard was gone.

x~~*~~x

In the week that followed, the rebuilding had begun. The city of Clanagan had sustained major damage, and there had been some loss of life, most notably the much-beloved Mizetto Kurooberu and Ralgo Kiil. A ceremony was held to pay tribute to those two, but it also served to honor all the others that had passed away in the line of duty. But with that knowledge came a note of hope; because the sacrifices that were made had allowed the rest to survive. They would rebuild their city, and make it as prosperous as as possible, in memory of the those that fought and paid the ultimate price.

There were four other tombstones that were arranged to be placed in the same cemetery. For various reasons, not many other people would know of them. But to a few select individuals, they were heroes just as much. After the main ceremony, Nanoha, Fate, Yuuno, and Arf paid their respects to these mostly unmarked headstones.

Nanoha stepped up to place flowers on the first two, that simply read: "K. T." and "M. T." Their lives had begun in unnatural and cruel ways, and were condemned to be far too short. Their circumstances wouldn't be considered fair by any stretch of imagination, yet they had proved themselves to be full human, more than most.

Next, Fate moved up to place her own flowers at the graves marked with "P.T." and "A.T." It was probably an act that she should have done years ago, to pay homage to the two people who were responsible for giving her life. Their full story may be able to be told someday, but for now, they would always be remembered by the four that stood here today.

Yet as the sun peeked through the clouds, so too did hope find it's way through the sadness. The planet, and all it's inhabitants, had been saved.

The crisis had ended.

Xx~~*~~xX

Author's notes:

Being a sci-fi nerd, one of my favorite shows was Stargate: Atlantis. If you're familiar with the series, I pulled a couple of ideas out of there; namely, ascending and the exotic particles from the power core. In one episode, McKay finds an ancient power experiment, where they were attempting to pull energy from our galaxy but the process created exotic particles (in laymen's terms, simply particles we've never seen before) which were nearly impossible to contain. He eventually screwed it up, and the resulting explosion took out a solar system (Boom!). I recommend watching Stargate: SG-1, Atlantis, and the new SG: Universe if you're a sci-fi person. You'll get more info on ascension as well.

Stay tuned for the epilogue!


	26. Full Circle Epilogue

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Crisis**

**Chapter 26: Full Circle (Epilogue)**

Xx~~*~~xX

A month had passed since that day, and life had continued on. The city was in still in the midst of rebuilding, but things were returning to normal for the citizens of Clanagan and Mid-Childa. That went for the military, too, as units were re-organized, promotions and medals were handed out, and classes resumed in the academy.

One particular new class had sprung up in the days since, and found a whole host of personnel eager to sign up, both new and old. The thirty students went through their motions with their wooden training staves, under the watchful eyes of their teacher. The older members knew she was strict, while the younger ones were just discovering that.

From the head of the class, she looked them over as they worked out. "Okay, break with your partners and spar for five minutes, taking turns practicing the new technique!" She began to walk through them, observing, advising, and correcting as needed.

"Are we doing it right, Arisa-sensei?" one particular young woman asked in mild amusement.

"Lift your staff a bit more when you follow through, student Nanoha," Arisa told her, grinning. "And don't go easy on her, student Fate!"

"Yes, sensei!" Fate replied smiling.

"And student Yuuno, if you don't get more aggressive on your partner, I'm going to give you an extra lesson myself again," Arisa threatened.

The young archeologist turned a bit, looking sheepish as he had clearly remembered the last time Arisa went off on him; he could still feel the bruises. Hayate took that moment to strike, thrusting her training staff between his knees and quickly turning, flipping him onto his back.

"I think he'll get it sooner or later," Hayate told her teacher in amusement, adjusting the white belt on her training gi.

The class laughed at that, even Erio as he trained with Caro, but all quickly resumed their sparring under their tough, but fair, teacher.

Arisa blew her whistle after five minutes. "Okay, that's for today. Hit the showers, and we'll resume again tomorrow."

The class turned and bowed as one to their sensei, then headed for the side rooms.

Nanoha paused before entering the woman's side. "Yuuno-kun, remember our appointment for later, okay?"

He nodded. "I'll be there!"

"Oh Yuuno-kun, you can enter the woman's side if you want," Arisa told him slyly. "But only if you come as a ferret!"

The girls laughed, while Yuuno blushed and sighed. She just wouldn't let him forget that.

x~~*~~x

Shamal slid the paper envelope across the table to her patient, watching her reaction closely.

"This is it?" Fate asked, although she knew the answer already. She picked it up, turning it over, but not opening it.

"Yes, the results of the DNA testing and comparison," the doctor told her, then noticed Fate's hesitancy. "As I said before, it's up to you whether you want to know for sure."

"Part of me still does," Fate responded. "But now, for some reason, I'm not so sure. I have a family now, and I've been wondering if I should even allow the past to hold me down. My mother's single-minded pursuit of what she wanted hurt a lot of people. I don't want to repeat that mistake." She stood up. "Thank you for doing this for me, Shamal. I'll hold onto it for now, and decide later if I want to look."

Shamal stood as well, placing a hand on the other woman's shoulder. "I don't think these circumstances are quite like your mother's. And regardless of what's in that envelope, your friends and family won't treat you any different."

Fate smiled and nodded, thanking her again, then left the office.

Shamal sat back down, bringing up her computer screen again. She wondering what Fate's reaction would be if, or when, she ever did look. In one respect, the Wolkenritter doctor thought Fate would be happy to learn that the test showed 0% DNA match between Fate and Jail.

But after having learned that much, Shamal got curious. She hooked up to the main archives, looking up the time period when Precia was on Mid-childa before Alicia was born. It was a long shot, but running it through what records there were, eventually revealed someone with a 72% match. Because Fate was a clone, she expected a bit of genetic drift, but that was still a high degree of DNA correlation.

Still, there were even more surprises in store when she queried when and from whom the sample in the database had been taken. She still didn't know how it had happened, and perhaps no one would ever know. But she filed it under one of her pet projects to follow up on. Perhaps one of these days it could lead to some interesting answers.

She glanced up at her screen to confirm it again. The sample had been taken many years ago, from a young Lt. Clyde Harlaown.

x~~*~~x

Hayate had a feeling what this meeting in the Judicial Advisor's office would be about, and had made sure to be prepared for it.

"Congratulations on your promotion, Lt. General Nakajima," she told him, saluting, which was returned by both Genya and Judicial Advisor Leone Fiils.

"Thank you, but I still don't think I can fill General Kiil's shoes," he told her, somewhat embarrassed.

"I think you'll do fine," Leone told him. "As the one who successfully organized the city's defense, I couldn't recommend a better person to fill that spot. Ralgo was a good man, and I'll miss him. But I think he'd be proud of what you'll do in his place."

"I agree," Hayate added, smiling, remembering with fond memories the time she and the Wolkenritter had been assigned to escort the three.

"But that also brings me to my second recommendation, and why I asked you here," Leone told told her. "Mizetto's spot as Bureau Chief of Staff is still empty as well. I am told she was rather fond of you, and you have an exemplary record. Would you take the position?"

She had a feeling that was going to happen, and part of her really wanted to go for it, however... "I'm honored that you would consider me. But I'm afraid I have to decline. At this time, I feel there are things that require my attention, closer to the front. Still, I have a recommendation of my own." She tapped her communicator. "Send her in."

The door opened and a women entered and saluted, although obviously still confused as to why she was there.

"Judicial Advisor Leone Fils, I hereby recommend Auris Gaiz for the position," Hayate stated, causing the woman's mouth to open in shock. "She has excellent organizational skills, and her loyalty is above reproach. She would make a great asset to the Bureau in that capacity."

Leone sat back in his chair. "Interesting. I have seen her file, and even though she has a partial mark due to the Regius incident, her testimony afterward was vital in helping us wrap up that incident. And your word does carry significant weight, Lt. Col. Yagami. If she wants the position, I will talk it over with the council."

Auris finally managed to close her mouth, and at Hayate's encouraging nod, saluted again and stated, "I would be honored."

The Judicial Advisor nodded. "Very well, if you ladies will excuse us, I will need to contact the council. I will let you know the results of their deliberations."

Hayate saluted again, and the two women stepped outside, the rest of the Wolkenritter waiting there for them. They promptly started applauding after the door had closed.

Auris turned on Hayate. "Why? I always got the impression you didn't care much for me."

"I've been keeping tabs on you since the JS incident," the bemused Lt. Col. explained. "You've been doing very well, and I have a good friend who believes in second chances. Also, if you hadn't approached me and offered the use of that Einherjar cannon, we never would have been able to pull off what we did."

"Hayate is right," Signum added. "You saved us. She is repaying the trust you put in her."

Auris chuckled. "The cannon was destroyed shortly after firing anyway, just as Vita predicted. I was wondering what my next project would be." She bowed. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Hayate told her, smiling. "I'll be looking forward to you taking care of things here when I'm gone."

The other woman looked up. "Gone? What do you mean?"

"She's put in a transfer request, to move to the Naval division," Vita explained, amused. "I think her aims got a bit bigger than a single planet."

"I just want to get a better feel on what's going on through the Bureau, and I can't do that here," Hayate clarified, a bit chagrined. "And I want a larger field of view, to better deal with incidents like this before they become too big."

"Her rank will change to Commander!" Rein announcing, cheering.

"Well, best of luck to us both, then," Auris added, saluting, then noticed Hayate offering her hand. She took it hesitantly.

Hayate shook it, smiling. "Agreed, best of luck to us both!"

x~~*~~x

"How goes the research?" Suzuka asked, entering the lab.

Shari stopped typing away and stretched. "Not very well, I'm afraid. I can't see a way of removing the relic pieces from Nanoha nor Vivio. Enough magic damage seems to trigger some sort of emergency function in the device, which forces its separation. But while Vivio might survive that due to her Saint's Armor, Nanoha would be severely injured."

"But it's not hurting either one of them at the moment?" the junior technician asked, standing beside her teacher.

The senior tech shook her head. "No. And it's actually helped heal Nanoha, who has said she is no hurry to have it removed. So I might leave it in her for now. But she is concerned about leaving it in her daughter. So I'll keep looking." She paused, then turned around in her chair to face her junior. "Oh, I have something to show you!"

She stood up and headed across the lab, opening a door that Suzuka knew led to an experimentation chamber. It had been closed and locked for awhile, but she knew Shari had been using it off and on.

"Back to that again, hmm?" Suzuka noted as she entered. "You seem to spending an awful lot of time on that lately. Although it does look quite a bit more complete lately."

Shari stepped up to the object in the chair and began fiddling with a few things. "I had some parts from those Alhazard robots sent here, to study and see what I could use. I think you'll be surprised."

Suzuka studied the hairless series 14 android sitting in the chair. Some parts of her skin were cut away, revealing the circuitry within, with various wires hooked up. But what surprised Suzuka the most, was the fact that its eyes had opened and moved to focus on her.

Then it spoke. "Hello."

"Um, hello," Suzuka replied, startled.

"What is your designation?" the android inquired in a female voice.

The purple-haired girl's eyes blinked. "I'm Suzuka Tsukimura. And you are?"

"I do not as yet possess a designation," came the almost monotone response, then she/it turned back to look at Shari and blinked.

Suzuka looked at her teacher. "You do know you're starting to get the nickname of 'Mad Scientist' around the base, don't you?"

"I can't help it!" Shari replied. "The new directives coming down from the bureau state that they are looking for limited versions of alternate forces. Magic will probably always be the base of the TSAB, and the largest part of it. But I think they are recognizing that some other varied forces could come in handy. So that's let me and Mariel tinker with some new stuff." She finished adjusting something and stood back, studying her creation. "But she's right, she does need a designation. Have any ideas?"

The junior technician looked it over. "She was one of those series 14 androids Jail built? How about calling her Juyon. Or maybe Juyo for short. It's fourteen in my native language."

"Well, what do you think?" Shari asked her creation.

"Designation 'Juyo' is acceptable," the newly-named android said after a moment. "Updating databanks."

"I think she likes it!" Shari giggled, pleased.

Suzuka sighed.

x~~*~~x

"The answer is still no," Signum replied, as she walked down the street.

"Aw, come on, I saved your life back there!" Vice informed her. "That's gotta entitle me to at least one date."

"And I saved your life in return," she told him. "So now we are even. As warriors, we owe each other nothing."

Secretly, she was a bit amused by the attention. At first she hadn't really realized what his increasing attentions meant, until Hayate had told her. And now she was left wondering what to do about it.

"Okay, so we don't owe each other anything," he admitted. "Then, as a fellow warrior, I would invite you to share food and drink with me, in order to better our relationship off the battlefield as well. Laguna thought it was a good idea, too!"

She considered it, stopping before a store. "Very well, I see no harm in doing as much."

"Yes!" Vice cheered, handing her a ticket to a restaurant. "Then I looked forward to your company tomorrow evening!" He started to run off, but partially turned back to wave at her. "I'll pick you up at 6pm!"

The Belkan Knight sighed as he turned a corner and vanished, then looked down at the piece of paper in her hand. She felt as if she had just entered a world of combat that she was a novice in. She'd have to talk to Hayate later about this, although she was dreading what Vita or Shamal might say.

At the very least, she was going to keep Levantine ready.

x~~*~~x

"Alright, I'm heading off now," Fate announced as she stepped into the living room after having come down the stairs.

"You weren't here very long," Teana noted.

"I just had to drop something off," Fate replied. "Are you guys okay with watching Vivio today? Nanoha and I won't be back until much later this evening."

"Leave it to us!" Subaru told her. At first, it was only going to be Caro and Erio watching her, but Subaru suggested the Strikers make it a team effort, as a fun group activity since they rarely had time for that. Although she partly had to drag Tea into it.

"Fate-mama!" Vivio called, as she came around the corner with Erio and Caro. She took off running to hug her mama's leg.

"I'll be back later tonight," Fate told her, leaning down to hug the girl. "But you be good for your babysitters, okay?"

"I will!" she replied, beaming.

Fate stood up and waved, then headed out the door, leaving the Strikers alone with the young girl they were supposed to be taking care of.

"So, do you wanna watch a movie?" Subaru asked, pulling up a holographic screen list. "Nanoha gave us the run of the place for today."

Erio sat down next to her. "How about the new Von Dumm movie?"

"Ooh, good choice!" she agreed. "Lots of cool mindless action! I watched it a few days ago with Wendi and Nove."

"How are your sisters?" Teana asked from the kitchen, grabbing some drinks.

"They've been recognized as lawful combatants, for helping to assist in saving the city," Subaru replied. "They are getting licenses to use their powers to help others as the need arises. Most of them have plans to assist me and the Disaster Planning and Humanitarian Aid as needed."

"What about Quattro and the others?" Caro inquired, setting Vivio up with some coloring books

Subaru selected the movie and put it on pause for the moment until everyone was ready. "Back to the rehabilitation facility for now, but their service was recognized, too. They were instrumental in helping to save a lot of kidnap victims. If they complete their rehabilitation, they could enlist in the Bureau as part of one of the new alternate units."

"Hard to believe it wasn't too long ago that we fought them as enemies," Teana remarked, placing the drink cans on the table and sitting down beside Subaru. "Reminds me of something Nanoha once said: 'The best way to defeat an enemy is to make them your friend.' I didn't really understand that until lately."

"I wonder what Nanoha, Fate and Yuuno are doing today, anyway," Subaru mused aloud.

"Probably a three-way date," Teana joked.

Caro blinked as she sat down beside Erio, her face openly displaying the fact she was trying to wrap her mind around the concept. "A three-way date? How does that work?"

"Oh, you know," Subaru hinted, drawing the joke out. "It would be like... you, Erio, and Lutecia all being lovey together in a group."

The young summoner appeared to think about the implications of that, cheeks slowly turning red.

"What do you think about that, Erio?" Teana asked, grinning.

"I, uh... I'm gonna go make some popcorn," he said quickly, getting up and retreating to the kitchen.

The two older girls laughed, and even Caro began to giggle.

x~~*~~x

"The repairs and upgrades seem to be progressing nicely," Amy told her husband as they entered the bridge of the ship. "This is going to be your new ship?"

Chrono nodded as the oversight tour brought them to the captain's chair. "The original captain of the _Ventek_ was close to retirement anyway, so he offered me the use of it. Even still, the upper brass wasn't too excited about giving me another ship after the way I messed up."

Amy swatted him. "Oh stop that. No one could predicted the encounter would go that badly. And it turned out that most of the ships survived."

"11 out of 20 is barely most, and even then most of them were severely damaged," he told her, sighing, then held up his hands in a defensive motion. "Hey, just telling you how the brass sees it. Although sometimes I agree with their judgment that I should have just sent a few ships against it to test its defensive measures before committing the whole fleet. If I didn't have Hayate vouching for me, and didn't manage to evacuate the council and other higher-ups from Mid-Childa, then I probably wouldn't still have my rank."

"You can always count on Hayate to bulldoze her way through the bureaucracy for her friends," Amy agreed, then paused. "Say, isn't that your first officer and helmsman? Something seems odd about their behavior...."

Chrono glanced down to where Lucino was hesitantly approaching Griffith behind his back. He turned around and froze when he saw her. Their eyes met, then their heads dropped for several long moments. Then Lucino angrily shoved a data pad at him and took off after he accepted it, her cheeks red.

"I'm not entirely sure," Chrono replied. "They've been like this for a long time now, and it's almost like they've been avoiding each other outside of passing status reports back and forth, regarding the ship repairs and refits. Neither Griffith nor Lucino elected to explain why, when I asked."

Amy bit her lip. "I wonder...."

x~~*~~x

"I thought you'd be here," Nanoha stated, sitting down on the park bench next to him, looking across the bay to Marine Garden. "How are you feeling? Have you decided on anything?"

Yuuno reached down to take her hand, causing her to smile. "It's been a lot to think about, I'll admit. I never really had a family in the traditional sense; children of the Scrya belong to the whole clan. But then I met you and your family, and I felt a closeness that I never felt before. There was something between your mother, father, brother, and you, that didn't exist in my clan. I guess, even back then, I felt like I wanted to be a part of it."

"I felt the same way," Nanoha admitted, watching the boats on the water, sun shining. "Back then, I felt myself drifting away from my family, but then you came, and I felt a part of something again. You've always been special to me."

He gazed at her and smiled. "I think that's why I want give this a try. I don't know how things will work out, but I'd like to be a part of your family. We can take it one step at a time." He chuckled. "After all, I do like Fate, too. I've always wanted you to be happy, and she seemed to do that for you."

"You've always liked me, hmm?" Fate teased, coming out from behind a tree. "How much?"

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha exclaimed in surprise, as the two on the bench stood up.

Yuuno blushed, holding his free hand behind his head as Fate came up, unable to think of words to say at the moment. But that problem was solved as Fate took his cheeks in her hands and put her lips to his. Nanoha's mouth opened and closed wordlessly in shock.

"Well, that wasn't too bad," Fate said at last, releasing him, then looking over at Nanoha. "You've already kissed him, so it's my turn. If we're going to do this, then I need to try him out, too, right?"

A fourth figure appeared, although shorter than the others. "I am collecting fascinating data on human mating rituals. I believe this is called a 'threesome'?"

All three young adults flushed red, while Fate stammered out an "Alicia!"

The holographic girl smiled. "I believe I have been successful at 'teasing' as well, wouldn't you agree, sister?"

Nanoha giggled. "She got you there. After what you just did, you deserved it, too!"

Fate and Yuuno joined her in laughter, then the golden-haired girl grabbed his hand and started to pull him away.

"Well, shall we get our three-way date started?" she asked, smiling.

Nanoha turned to go with them, when Alicia spoke up again. "Wait, may I speak with Nanoha alone for a bit?"

"Sure," Yuuno replied, taking a silver bracelet off his right wrist, inlaid with a sparkling azure dodecahedron jewel. He tossed it to Nanoha.

"We'll catch up at the park entrance," Nanoha told them, as Fate continued to pull Yuuno away, then turned to the holographic girl. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I've thought it over for awhile, but I still don't understand," Alicia started. "So I would like to ask you again. How did you break the hypnosis I had over Yuuno on that day in the library?"

Nanoha's cheeks, which had begun to return to normal color, flushed slightly again. "Well, you said a couple of times that your hypnosis had heightened Yuuno's desire. While I think you meant to increase his craving for knowledge and archeology, I took a chance that it had affected his other desires as well. A greater one. Or at least I hoped."

Alicia nodded slightly. "I don't think I completely understand, but I feel as if I am coming closer. Thank you, Nanoha."

The young woman smiled. "It's my pleasure, Alicia-chan. Now let's go rejoin the other two, and you can learn a bit more, alright?"

The holographic girl nodded again and disappeared, as Nanoha went to catch up to her two dates.

x~~*~~x

Arf watched from the shadows, smiling, and wiping a tear from her eye. Detecting the subtle sounds of footsteps, she turned her head back to look at the figure coming up behind her.

Zafira smiled back at her, and the two left to enjoy their own outing.

"Mom, Dad, we're here!" Nanoha called as she entered her old home a week later. She was highly nervous about this, but Fate took her hand and gave it a squeeze in support as they removed their shoes. Yuuno also gave her a supportive smile and a thumbs up.

"Hey, the magical squirt's back!" Kyoya announced, as the group entered the living room.

"Oh, and she's brought the ferret again!" Miyuki teased, looking him up and down. "I must say, he looks nice. But I think I prefer his ferret form better!"

Yuuno sweat-dropped, as Nanoha surged forward and hugged her brother and sister.

"Whoa, someone is happy to see us," Kyoya noted, chuckling.

"Did our letter worry you that much?" Miyuki asked, stroking her sister's hair. "As I told you, we were just held for a short while, and then let go. We never knew what they really wanted. But interpol is tracking them down."

Nanoha pulled back and dried her eyes. "Sorry, yes, I was a bit worried, but I'm just glad that you're alright."

"Oh, who's that?" Miyuki asked, noting the younger girl hanging onto Fate and studying the new people in curiosity. "She's so cute!"

"Did Nanoha bring someone new?" Shiro asked, as he and his wife came over to the group to see what the fuss was about.

"Nanoha, who is this?" Momoko asked hesitantly.

Nanoha took a deep breath and took her daughter's hand, bringing her to stand in front of the group. "Mom, Dad, Kyoya, Miyuki... this is my boyfriend Yuuno, my girlfriend Fate, and my daughter, Vivio Takamachi."

Shiro just barely managed to catch his falling wife.

x~~*~~x

Author's Notes:

As the title said, we've come full circle, which was largely my attempt in this. The idea was to take another adventure-filled romp around the block, combine as much stuff as I could into one unified theory, and build onto what I felt the main themes of the Nanoha series were.

From the start, to me, Nanoha has always been about family. From Nanoha's standard one, to Fate's relationship with her mother, Lindy and Chrono and their adoption of Fate, Hayate's group, and many others. It's aim seems to be to show many different types of familial relationships, and thus that all of these "alternate" family setups can work just fine. It's my own theory as to why Seven Arcs doesn't really answer those shipping questions, because they have their own theme for the show, and they don't want to upset the fans. If Cardcaptor Sakura was about romantic love, Nanoha was about familial love. Just my personal opinion, anyway. =)

Still, relationships are a part of family, so I began to address that here. And with the ending scene, showing how things have come full circle with the new Takamachi family meeting the old one. (you'll also remember the first scene of chapter 1 was Nanoha listening to a letter from her mother, asking for a visit). But nothing is easy, and the 3-way relationship may not be perfect. I do want to write more shorts in the future dealing with the issues. But I also believe in moving slowly. =)

Oh, and Hayate will take over the world someday; but I just figure the girl wants to have some fun first, before then. She's got priorities. :P

Signum/Vice was just something I was toying with, after hearing about it in another fic. I did notice that in the Strikers anime, there is a picture showing Vice, Laguna (the girl he shot that he apparently knows), Alto, and Signum. So I thought maybe there could be something there. But honestly, it may or may not happen. Just something I'm playing around with for humor, heh.

As for Lucino and Griffith, well, things are bit awkward between them right now. If you'll remember, she kissed him, thinking she was going to die.

For those keeping score, I managed a line or a mention for about every character except two: Lindy and Lutecia's mother.

What's in the works now? I have ideas for a en episodic sequel of sorts. Each chapter will be a self-contained short story, dealing with particular cast members. "Recollections of a Lost Age" will kinda fit into this category, as I plan to rewrite it a bit, and then finish it.

I also have a spin-off planned tentatively entitled: "Lyrical Magical G-Squad." Arisa will shine more in the spotlight this time, along with an odd assortment of lesser used characters, in a new adventure with her new golem unit taking place on Earth. Current characters planned: Arisa, Suzuka, Vice, Alto, Lindy, Kyoya, Miyuki, and maybe Arf, and then possibly one of the cyborgs, but haven't decided which(possibly Otto). By the time I get that done, I may do another short time-skip, and start a series focusing on Vivio (but no real concrete details on that yet).

Anyway, thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!


End file.
